First team

NICO PAREJA: “WE HAVE TO LOOK TO SECURE FOURTH PLACE”

12/05/2017

"It's a difficult place to go and they are playing for the league, but we're also playing for our own targets" he said.

Nico Pareja is hopeful that Sevilla can secure Champions League football next season ahead of Sunday's game against Real Madrid.

Jorge Sampaoli's side require one point from the remaining two games this season, and Pareja has his sights set on finishing the season as strongly as possible.

"We've got a chance mathematically," said the 33-year-old about finishing third. "We know it's difficult, but we're going to fight until the end. We understand the responsibility that comes with wearing this shirt and we're going to give it our all.

"We've got to go there with intensity and the right mentality"

"We've got to go there looking to secure fourth place. We know that thery're a good team and it's a difficult place to go. They're going for the league title, but we'll play our own game and do what we do well to try and win."

Real Madrid go into the game at the Santiago Bernabéu locked in the title race with Barcelona, and Pareja is weary of the threat that they pose.

"They'll be very strong, so we've got to go there with intensity and the right mentalilty," he explained to Sevilla Fútbol Club Radio.

"It's a challenge. Sevilla haven't won there for a while but every game is another opportunity. I hope we can end that winless run.

"The games we played against them in the Super Cup and at home [in LaLiga and the Copa del Rey] were special. They'll be confident after reaching the Champions League final, so it'll be a difficult game."

"We're struggling to make our dominance in games count"

Sevilla have performed well in recent weeks, but goals to win games have evaded them.

"Yes, we're finding that difficult and it costs you a lot," Pareja continued. "It's happened in a few games, particularly against Malaga, we dominated, we had clear chances.

"It's been a running theme in the second half of the season. We're struggling to make our dominance in game count, but we'll keep working to improve."

To improve on a season which, as Gabriel Mercado said this week, "we all would have taken at the start. Any one of us would have thought about the objective of fourth place, we know about the strength of Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Atlético, who are a step above everyone...

"We had a great first half of the season, and after that going out of the Champions League took its toll, both mentally and physically.

"The second half of the season wasn't as good, you're left with a bitter taste in the mouth because of that. But in general the season is going very well.

"The first objective was to get through the group stage of the Champions League and we did it. Afterwards, fine details sent us out, for which we musn't stop being self-critical, knowing that they were our mistakes.

"But even so the season is going very well. With ups and downs, lots of changes, external issues... Obviously you always want more, but we have to value what we're doing".

"I showed those who doubted me that I could get back to the level I was at"

"From a personal point of view, the Argentine has on the whole been pleased with his season: "After a difficult year, lots of people wrote me off and thought I wasn't going to be the same as before. And personally I'm happy, I showed those who doubted me that I could get back to the level I was at.

"I've played lots of matches and I felt well physically, my knee is fine. It's clear that, at this stage of the season you notice the tiredness, but on a personal level I'm very demanding and you can always improve.

"I work to improve day by day. I'm very happy, aside from the Málaga match, after which I went home very annoyed. But I can't let that tarnish the season that I'm having from an individual point of view, which I'm very satisfied with. And always demanding things of myself".