LOPETEGUI: "THEY HAVE IT ALL; THEY PRESS, PLAY IN DIFFERENT WAYS..."

Sevilla FC boss, Julen Lopetegui, spoke to the media about tomorrow's last sixteen UEFA Europa League tie against West Ham. The coach from the Basque country started by saying "the team is looking forward to it and is motivated to play this complicated affair against the best team from the group stages and a team that is also fighting for a top four spot in the Premier League, a league that we know operates at the highest level. The team that was in last place of the Premier league managed to prize away the right back from the Champions of Spain and almost took important players away from us, this puts the level and strength the Premier League has into context. David Moyes is doing a fantastic job." 

"The atmosphere and encouragement of the fans is going to be very important, we are going to need it. I'm sure they know what is at stake and they are going to help us compete against tough opponents. No matter how many English fans come, I'm sure our fans are going to be strong and will fill us with that energy we need," added Lopetegui. 

"The important ones are the players that play, not the ones that have to stay at home," the boss said when referring to the absences 

Lopetegui also stated that "we have many players absent, you can't even count them because there are that many. The important ones are the players that play, not the ones that have to stay at home. We have the utmost trust in the boys that have to face up to this hard and difficult task, despite the problems we have. We are competing in long and tough tournaments like LaLiga and now we have one of the most complicated opponents in front of us, but we carry on believing we can defeat them. We trust in the resources we have available to us." 

The boss also said "favourites don't exist in the football world, only what you can see in the game. I've already explained what the Premier League is and the level West Ham play at, however hard it may seem at times. What is being produced is not always highlighted, and I always try to acknowledge it. They are fighting for fourth spot. The desire they have will match their enthusiasm, but not be greater than one another. The important thing is that we beat them on the pitch, no matter what happens." 

"They have it all; they play in different ways, they press high..."

"They have it all; they play in different ways, they press high, they have a good starting eleven and an extraordinary striker... Bowen is out but they have other great players like Fornals, Lanzini, Benharama... At the back they have Zouma, Dawson, etc. We are talking about a team operating at a top level that have many ways to resolve problems. They practically only have Bowen missing."