ERIK LAMELA, ÓSCAR RODRÍGUEZ AND JOAN JORDÁN ANALYSE THE VICTORY AGAINST RAYO

On the other hand, Lamela touched upon the Argentinian connection on the pitch: 'There is a good connection, we're always with Papu. I hope we can have a lot more opportunities to score, and next time, I can pass it to him.' The Argentine also mentioned the return of fans which was vital in the game: 'It's something quite new for me as it's my first game here. They made me feel at home as soon as the game started. I'm very happy. I can't wait to go to the hotel and enjoy the victory with my family.' He concluded the interview by expressing his hope to continue winning games with his teammates: 'Just as any other player would, I hope that we can compete in all competitions for as long as possible. We know we have a talented squad, and we hope to use it to be successful this year. It is only the first game, and there is still a long way to go.'

Erik Lamela: 'They made me feel at home as soon as the game started.'

Óscar Rodríguez also enjoyed the victory: 'Very happy. It is always important to the start the season off well, and winning the first game definitely puts down the marker. We were very eager to get started, and I think that was clear.' The midfielder believes that the team are using last season's success to motivate them this season too: 'We're trying to do the same thing, but by learning from our mistakes from last season to be more successful this season.' In addition, the Sevilla FC player looked physically fit and ready despite the hot weather: 'It was obviously difficult because it was so hot. The whole team dealt with it well. Óscar also spoke about how he felt currently: 'I'm always ready to play, I feel good. When I am given minutes, I will give it my all for this team.'

Óscar Rodríguez: 'The first game is always important to start the season off well'

Joan Jordán was the last player to be interviewed by the club's media: 'The sending off of the goalkeeper was a big point in the game as we were able to take the lead, which meant that they were quite defensive so it was harder for us to break them down. The team dealt with it well. We got the second goal, which allowed us to breathe a bit, and that also led to the third goal.'

The midfielder did not shy away from a preseason that was yet again different in several ways: 'It was a different preseason because some players arrived later than others. We've also had some Covid cases too, and different players with different fitness levels. We make no excuses, and we're expected to overcome difficult situations. We are Sevilla and we never surrender. We have a team that is hungry for success. We gave it our all, and we ended the game with three points.'

Joan believes that the team are trying to maintain last year's hunger to win: 'It's important that the new signings and players from the reserve team get used to how we play as quick as possible because the season is long. It's important that we all give it our all. Of course, we're going to face some tough times. We all need to be ready to play and perform at any given time. We still have a lot of room to improve despite this victory tonight.'

Joan Jordán: 'It's important that the new signings get used to the team as quick as possible'

The midfielder spoke about the challenges that came with the heat: 'It was very hot. It is quite challenging because you are dehydrated and physically tired. But there are no excuses, and we have to learn to cope with these things. It's hot for the other team also, so it's just not us. Both teams coped well with the heat.'

Joan Jordán concluded by welcoming the return of fans to the stadium: 'It was great to have them back. I had goosebumps. We've missed them so much. There have been moments in recent times where we've done some good things, but it didn't feel quite the same because the fans weren't with us. We're delighted that they're finally back with us.'