GARCÍA PIMIENTA: "TODAY WE SHOWED OUR CLASS AND PLAYED TO OUR FULL POTENTIAL"

Xavi García Pimienta, speaking to the media, was delighted with his team's performance at the Estadio José Zorrilla. "We knew that we would need a big performance today. Of course, they're struggling a bit at the moment, but we knew that we couldn't afford to be complacent coming into the match. Without being as focused as we were, we would not have been able to win. We played really well and created some good chances. Today we showed some composure and a clinical edge that perhaps we have been missing in some matches this season. At the back, we stayed solid, preventing the opposition from creating many chances. This victory represents an important part of our journey. I'm delighted with the victory, the boys deserve it and so too do the fans. This one was for them."

He was asked about Juanlu's performance, to which he responded, "Without a doubt, Juanlu's best position is on the wing, whether in attack or defence. But playing him centrally gives us a lot of energy in midfield. He did a great job in helping the team control possession and create chances. He scored two today but could have had more with that effort that hit the post! He played brilliantly today and I'm so proud of him. You don't always get rewarded for good performances, but today he really deserved his two goals."

Our Head Coach also wanted to praise the squad as a whole, especially given some notable absences. "This group works so hard. And just like I always say, we never give excuses. Unfortunately today we were missing many players through suspension or injury, but the boys really stepped up. Agoumé, for example, who hasn't played that much, put in a great shift today. We showed our class and played to our full potential. We also had some of the academy players, such as Manu Bueno and Ramón Martínez coming off the bench. I'm really proud of the group, they're all always ready to step up when required. What we must do now is follow this result up with another victory next week. We haven't won back-to-back games all season, so that is the challenge for next week. We have 14 games left to see where we can get to. We'll celebrate today's victory, but we'll be back working hard to go for another victory next week."