First team

CASTRO: "THE CLUB HAS MADE THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN ITS HISTORY"

11/09/2017
The Chairman showed his excitement at a campaign reinforced by strong economic investment and a squad that will look to fight for ambitious goals

Club Chairman José Castro dropped into to the Deportes Cope Sevilla talk show this Monday, where he evaluated the current position of the Nervión club. He touched on many subjects, though football came above all else. Castro seemed very excited by the squad put together for the coming campaign: "I'm very happy because seven out of nine points is important. Having got through the playoff is important and having built an impressive squad, we have to look to achieve our aims from here on in. The club has made the biggest economic investment of its history, broken its transfer record, spent more than anyone in La Liga barring Barcelona... I always repeat money should go on the team, and money has gone on the team. Everyone is aware we have a great squad and from now we have to prove it."

With such an investment, the question was what are the objectives: "In La Liga the objective is the maximum - seeing as there are two clubs above us and another which we spent twice as much as - but football is football and anything can happen. In the Champions League we want to get to the knockout stages... In ten ties against Leicester we would have won nine... They were two very strange matches, I hope this year we'll be capable of improving in this competition... And in the Copa del Rey, we have to go for it as well, because we have a squad where there are two players fighting for every position."   

"Everyone is aware we have a great squad and from now on we have to prove it"

"I think this season, because we don't have results to go by, it seems slightly illogical to talk about what could be achieved as we still don't know. The truth is, I would say to the squad at least no worse than last season. The effort has been impressive, it could be better, but that needs to be proved," he said. 

Castro also spoke about Eduardo Berizzo, who is more comfortable at the club every day: "You have to understand that we have nine new players, one more with Borja Lasso, a new coach and everything needs an adjustment... The coach, little by little, is adapting to the club and I think it's something he's already doing very well... But I repeat, we're enormously happy with him, I think he's the ideal coach. He's a serious, hard-working type, who always speaks with clarity. Let's not forget the launching pad Sevilla can be for its managers in this case either... It's a big opportunity for him and I think that's also one of the big secrets of the club."

"We're enormously happy with Berizzo... he's the ideal coach"

On another matter - that of the club's governing structure, and what could happen at the next club shareholder meeting - President Castro said "The important thing is that we are a club in the Champions League for the third consecutive year, that we've started without a defeat and that tomorrow we travel to Anfield to play in the Champions League... that's what I would like us to bear in mind... How much we've enjoyed these years! That's the truly important thing." 

"The board will be economically successful and successful in football and that's what really matters to us. I'm not worried at the moment, I'm more concerned with the club's day-to-day activities"

"I will be part of the board, we will work so the board is as it should be... It will be economically successful and successful in football and that's what really matters to us. I'm not worried at the moment, I'm more concerned by the club's day-to-day activities... I only focus on doing my job so we can achieve more objectives and the club can be appreciated for what it is achieving," he added. 

Finally he spoke about two familiar names. On the first - that of Vitolo - the question was direct: Does it still hurt? The answer was unambiguous: "It doesn't just hurt, it hurts a lot, I don't want to talk about something which is certainly going to be drawn out a long time. There will be legal actions taken and I don't want to say anything that could disrupt them. When I give my word I always stand by it; always meaning always."   

He added more: "We've made a deal with lawyer, Juan de Dios Crespo and we have meetings with him today. We also have a Council meeting this afternoon, and the Council will decide the recommended steps we follow from this renouned legal expert."

The second was Steven Nzonzi: "There weren't significant offers and we didn't want them... The summer was long, without many days on the beach - if any at all - and a lot of work. But what I'm sure of is what a crucial and important player he will be once again under the instruction of the new coach in achieving our primary goals. We want him to stay here a long time and I'm sure he will be happy here. Let's not worry."