ARIAS: "I WATCH HOW THE TEAM TRIES TO MEET EXPECTATIONS EVERYDAY"

Director of Football at Sevilla FC, Óscar Arias, was the star of SFC TV's 'A Balón Parado' where he spoke about the team securing passage to the Copa del Rey Final this Wednesday, along with the difficulties that the team has met along the way. "The excessive pressure and tension that we have experienced recently, with ferocious criticism, they have an effect. Gradually they improve, I see it every day, because I watch how the team trains, how they give it their all and how they try to meet the expectations we all have. The team has improved enormously and, little by little, we continue growing", he commented. 

Just reward for the team - passage to the Finals which, for Arias, "we were stronger, both in the first and second-leg. The narrow scoreline generated uncertainty, one goal would prolong the agony...but everything went well". After the celebration, work was close behind: "In football, moments of happiness are brief, I try to enjoy them amongst my closest friends and family, and maintain focused on what's to come. In football you can't relax, and the clash with Girona will demand a lot from us. We will enjoy the final on the 21st of April, and face it with much anticipation, but that's set for the future, and we need to keep working and take each day as it comes until then".

Asked about the atmosphere in Nervión this Wednesday, Arias had no words: "It's difficult to explain, it makes your hair stand on end and brings tears to your eyes. You realise that nothing can go wrong. This experience motivates and pushes players to give everything they can on the pitch. The fans are a valuable asset to Sevilla". 

"There is no question about the attitude and the wants of the group"

Regarding the fans and the team, Arias stressed "they are one, there are no cracks, we are all in this for the same reason, we want to come together and to help. We're all striving for the same objectives. When the foundations are strong, when the group runs into testing moments, they communicate, grit their teeth and push forwards. There have been times when things haven't worked, but not for lack of want. There is no question about the attitude and the wants of the group". 

The Director of Football confirmed that the most difficult part of the season to date was "taking the decision to dismiss Berizzo because it was a painful choice. However, we understood that it was what needed to be done at the time. There was no margin - we were running the risk of losing the fight for the top La Liga places. Eduardo's philosophy didn't end up panning out. The commitment of the team was total, but the reality was that we struggled and we ended up not feeling at ease, we struggled in front of the goal and the opponents did us damage with very little...There were feelings of fragility, making way for the poor performance at an individual level". 

With regards to the new manager, Vincenzo Montella, Arias explained that after meeting with the Italian, "we felt that he was the person most suited to what we wanted. The feelings were extremely positive, he gave off feelings of calmness, security, and knowledge...From then on we were betting on him and gradually he is taking the reins of a team that are showing more and more of the potential we knew they had". 

A coach that is counting on new faces following the winter transfer window, a period that the Director of Football analysed, name by name, on the SFC TV set, acknowledging "offers for David Soria".