GARCÍA PIMIENTA: "WE TRY TO MAKE THE MOST OF EACH PLAYER'S BEST MOMENT"

Xavier García Pimienta spoke at the pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's match against Real Betis. He began by saying “I haven't yet been lucky enough to experience it first hand so I am really looking forward to it. They are special matches and I am pleased with how things are going day to day with the player and the club. Everyone is calm and confident to do things well and compete in the match. We've had more days to work but we're already looking forward to it, to compete, to connect with our fans and make them proud by getting the three points." 

“Isaac is closer to playing than not. If he had to play today, he would play,” he said about Isaac Romero, who returned to training yesterday with the group.

"Everything depends on us, we have to be agressive and take the iniciative" 

“There are no favourites. They are special matches and the league standings don't matter. Betis had a demanding match yesterday and playing in Europe impacts. They tried and couldn't find an equaliser but it will be a completely different game, with other players," he added regarding the opponent. 

“If Betis were just Lo Celso we would have it very easy, we would put a player on him and that would be that. They have a lot of players, even if he's in great form. It is all about us, being aggressive, taking the initiative, being direct," he continued

"We try to make the most of each players best moment" 

Pimienta also said that “We always think more about our strengths than those of the opponent. We have two players for every position. Everyone is available to play and we try to take advantage of the best moment of each player. There is still tomorrow's training session, but whoever plays is ready."  

“We know that Betis will want the ball and we have to be prepared to absorb their pressure when they play, but we also want the ball and we know that when they don't have it, they suffer. Each team can cause problems but we are going to do everything to get the win," he said. 

"Winning to dedicate it to Jesús would be nice, it is an added incentive becaue it's his last derby" 

On Navas, he said: “It's an added incentive because it's his last derby. It would be great to win it in front of his fans and with his teammates. Winning to dedicate it to Jesús would be nice."