Pablo Sarabia, in a press conference before the UEFA Europa League match
First team

SARABIA: 'WE HAVE TO TRY TO GET BACK THE MENTALITY AND PLAYSTYLE WE HAD ON THE FIRST MATCHDAY'

19/09/2018
The Madrid-born player believes that it is essential to continue believing in the idea and can't wait for this Thursday's match against Standard: 'We have the chance to turn this situation around'

Pablo Sarabia accompanied Pablo Machín this Wednesday in the press conference before Thursday's game against Standard Liege. The attacker analysed the situation the team finds themselves in, after two back-to-back defeats, trying to send out an optimistic message: 'The team is working hard, we've made mistakes, everything knows that and that we have to work on them, but I think we're doing good things and we have to emphasise the things we are doing well to reach our goals. The team is clear in what it has to do... I don't think it's a problem of ideas, it's simply that things aren't going for us and we have to turn this situation around. I'm sure that when the goals come and we get more confidence it will all change.

For Sarabia, 'it's true that perhaps the team isn't doing well in certain phases of the game. We need to try to get back the mentality and playstyle that we showed on the first matchday and in the knockout rounds. We have to get back to that, but always trusting in the idea, which is what is going to enable us to turn this around.

'We have the chance to turn this situation around tomorrow'

The attacker understands many fans' protests after the game against Getafe: 'Sevilla's fans are great, and also demanding. They love to see their team win every Sunday. But the good thing is that we have the chance to turn this situation around tomorrow and what we have to do is to play our game and win. And I'm sure the protests will soon become applause.

Talking about the tournament and asked about whether Sevilla are favourites, he said 'it's still very early days to be thinking about winning the trophy. I think the most important is to focus on tomorrow's game and then the next one. It's normal that teams have respect for us because Sevilla have won it many times and we have to play against these big clubs.

'I think it would be a mistake to believe we are favourites tomorrow'

Sarabia did not accept that Sevilla are favourites for Thursday's match against Standard: 'I think it would be a mistake to believe we are favourites tomorrow. It's true that we're at home, but we have to play our best game, irrespective of the opponent. We know they will be a tough team to play against.'

Finally, asked about renewing his contract, he stated that, 'right now I'm focused on tomorrow's game, I want the team to win and that's what interests me.'