RAKITIC, FERNANDO AND PAPU GÓMEZ EXPRESS THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT AFTER FALLING TO DEFEAT IN SALZBURG

Fernando, Rakitic y Papu Gómez offered their thoughts after the difficult defeat in Salzburg. Speaking about the last matchday in the Champions League group stage, which meant Sevilla missed out on reaching the last 16 in the biggest European competition, it was the Brazilian midfielder who addressed the media first. "We have to pick ourselves up and think ahead to Athletic. It's a sporting and economic blow for the club. In the second half, we started a bit disjointed and then they scored after a little bit of pressure and unfortunately we couldn't come back. It will be difficult to sleep tonight but tomorrow we have to pick ourselves up to face a difficult game as it is on Saturday." 

In turn the captain Ivan Rakitic expressed his annoyance with the result. "It is a difficult night. I think that we were playing well until they scored but this is the Champions League and you have to score when you're on top. The team didn't lie down despite the red card and we have to pick ourselves up very quickly. The game opened up a bit for them, but we have to learn that in these six games many things have happened to us and in the Champions League every mistake is punished and you have to be on top form to score. I hope that we learn quickly looking ahead to the Europa League. To close he wanted to send a message to the Sevilla fans: "I'm sorry to the fans. We have tried up until the end but the disappointment is enormous and we promise that we will pick ourselves up looking ahead to the weekend and the Europa League, which I hope we'll be able to enjoy together."

"The changing room is hurting, with both sadness and disappointment" 

Papu Gómez referenced the state of the squad after the game. "The changing room is hurting, with both sadness and disappointment but we have to pick ourselves up and look to the future turning over this page quickly to return to La Liga. They scored the goal in our best moment after a good first half that we controlled and then we couldn't attack in the best way and we leave with a defeat that hurts a lot." Also, he spoke about the competitiveness that has to be keep moving forward. "We have to continue competing like we have always done, trying to go as far as possible in each competition, putting every effort into every competition."