JULEN LOPETEGUI: 'WE'RE COMING INTO THIS SEASON WITH EVEN MORE MOTIVATION THAN THE OTHERS'

The coach considers it an advantage that it is already his third preseason at the Club: 'Every preseason is important and play out differently. We are just getting started and now the players know what we want so we can establish a base upon which to improve various areas, both individually and as a group. When the rest of the players arrive, we will move into full group training. Preseasons are always marked by this desire and motivation of the players who look to impress the coaching staff. You can see that here and it's good that they've all come with this energy, desire and ambition.'

Remaining at such a demanding club for such a long time is something to be proud of, but Lopetegui has no thoughts to stop: 'Football is not easy and certainly not at this level. We are going into this preseason with more desire than ever. You have to reinvent yourself every season and adapt to the new circumstances and transmit that desire and motivation to your players. That's what we'll try to do. Each season is more complex than the last for many reasons. The challenge will be fighting with our own demands to try and improve in all areas and to keep growing as a team. We will try to transmit this to the team - that's the only way you can go into such a challenging season. We will work daily to make the most of the preseason. We would like to have more players but we made our plans a while ago and the market isn't easy but slowly but surely we'll arrive at the point where we're all ready to go into the season as best we can.'

'We know the market will be difficult, but we'll slowly but surely get to where we want to be'

Speaking about the players back from loans, Julen said what matters now is the work the put in: 'Everyone comes with the desire to train well in the preseason and they know what their situation is. We will see how things pan out. We are still open on how the squad will end up and I'm sure in the coming days we will have a better picture. In the meantime, we will work to make the most of our training camp.'

He went on to praise the impact of the academy players: 'They always bring that extra bit of energy and excitement and hunger to each training session. We are delighted with their work. It's the main way they can catch our eye and break into the first team. It's not easy but it's possible and I'm sure that one, sooner or later, will manage to do it because they have talent.'

'We need to help the academy players when the timing is right'

With Marko Dmitrović's arrival in goal, competition between the sticks is at an all-time high: 'To meet the demands of a club like Sevilla and three elite competitions, you need a balanced squad. For this you need two players in each position who can help you out at any time. That keeps competition high in training and the team benefits from the increased intensity and mentality. It's very competitive in goal now and we want that in every position.'

The coach also was happy with the imminent return of fans to the ground: 'Firstly for what it means in terms of public health. It means things are getting better and that there is now less suffering amongst families. Secondly, for what it means for the sport and Sevilla FC, for our fans. They've always been with us despite not being able to attend the games, they've made the presence felt in many ways. That really helped us get through difficult moments last season. Now we'll have them in the stands and that will push us on to our new goals. It won't be all easy and we will need them in the tough moments more than ever. That's when they can make a difference.'

'We will need our fans, especially in the tough times'

Regarding the team's goals, giving their all in all three competitions is the objective: 'They are three top and unique competitions. La Liga is our bread and butter with 38 games and ever-changing circumstances. You need to adapt in every moment. The Champions League is the biggest and most demanding competition in club football. You need to play a very good group stage to make it into knock-out rounds with the biggest teams around. And the Cup is great but very dangerous with the new format. Last year, the league champions got knocked out in the first round. It's a tough tournament with playing on different kinds of pitches and against different levels of opponents. You need to be really concentrated and have a good mentality to adapt to the competition.'