First team

PABLO MACHÍN: 'WE MADE AN EXTREMELY TOUGH OPPONENT LOOK WEAKER AS A RESULT OF OUR PLAY'

27/09/2018

Sevilla's manager was proud of his team who played 'the perfect game'

Pablo Machín was bursting with pride after his team's rout against the mighty Real Madrid on Wednesday night in the Sánchez-Pizjuán. In fact, he even stated he would never forget it: 'It's a night to be enjoyed and remembered. Of course we're going to remember a victory against Real Madrid, it's not often they get beat. The fans enjoyed it right from the first minute until the last. Football incites passion, and that passion drove us on today. We are incredibly happy for the footballers, especially with the difficulties that we're having with injuries at the moment, I'm really happy for them.'

Asked whether it had been the best match of the season, Machín was in no doubt: 'Yes, it was our best match given the opponent. We made an extremely tough opponent look weaker as a result of our play. This only happens if you play the perfect match. It was also important to keep a clean sheet. We normally concede some chances, and we knew that if we did today a team with the attacking quality of Madrid would punish us. But we were very balanced, we were able to restrict their counters and we were very good when we had to defend.'

'We were very efficient, we controlled a tough opponent who practically created no chances. And VAR even served justice for once! It was a perfect night for all Sevillistas and they will enjoy it for a long time. It's a shame it wasn't at the weekend so we could have made more of it tonight,' he added. 'VAR is there to serve justice. What's gone is gone. We have to do what we have to do, which is create opportunities, compete and score goals, that's what gets us points.'

'Day by day we're learning the system, every day they're more convinced that, playing together as a team, we're all going to be better. This is the path we're taking. Let's see if we start to get some players back from injury as well,' Machín finishes.