First team

LOPETEGUI: "WE MUST HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO PLAY TOMORROW"

25/09/2019

"Ipurua is a difficult place to go and we must be prepared to counter and react to what they do"

Sevilla FC's coach, Julen Lopetegui, gave his customary press conference on the eve of a league game, which will this time see Sevilla FC travel to the Basque country, to play Eibar this Thursday at 19.00. Lopetegui opened the press conference by underlining the fact that his "team are prepared and focusing on the match tomorrow. It's just the same feeling as when we have won the previous match, we turn over a new leaf and we go again. Tomorrow's match will be played on a tricky pitch and we must be prepared to counter and react to whatever Eibar do, as well as playing our football and imposing it on to them".

"I have watched them carefully. They are very solid in what they do and they deserve to have more points. They've played very well in their games and I'm expecting to come up against a very good side tomorrow. We have to know what we're doing and focus on playing our best football in order to come home with the three points. They have their strengths and so do we. We have to be alert at all times - with and without the ball. They play well in all aspects of the game, both in defence and in attack. We will have to be at our best to beat them".

"We've been getting into the box a lot, more so than most in LaLiga, but this isn't a definitive statistic after only five games"

The coach then was asked about De Jong and where the goals in the team are going to come from: "You can't make an accurate nor a definitive statement after only five games. De Jong has played well and has had opportunities. There's no doubt that he, and the rest of the team, are going to score goals. We've been getting into the box a lot, so the goals are going to come. What we want is for Sevilla to score, and at the end of the season I'm sure that the forwards will have more goals than most others".

"We always want to get into good goalscoring positions, something which I feel we are doing well. We are the team who has done it most in LaLiga so far; but, of course, we have to improve. In order to continue improving as a team, we must also look at the good things we are doing and not forget about them".

"We have used a lot of the squad and there will be chances in the future for those who have had less minutes than others"

Lopetegui claimed that: "We have used 22 players in five games - that's a lot. Everyone is fit and healthy and I'm sure that there will be chances in the future for those who have had less minutes than others. We have used a lot of the squad and it's only normal that some players have featured less than others. It's not as if there are two teams. All the players are first-team players. The reality is that there are a lot of variables that depend on many things. Without a doubt, they are all first-team players here at Sevilla FC".

"We try to make the team balanced, so that it both attacks and defends well. Every game requires something slightly different, something that we are trying to realise every game. Tomorrow it's possible that there's a change to the starting XI, we have an idea in our heads but we have to wait and see".

To conlcude. Lopetegui gave his thoughts on the Sánchez-Pizjuán being named as the host venue for the UEFA Europa League final in 2021: "It would be incredible to play in it. However, before that, we would love to play in another final. It's an acknowledgement to the club, to its project and to the stadium. It's great for both the city and the club. The titles that Sevilla have won have put them on the map".