QUIQUE: "HOPEFULLY ON SUNDAY WE CAN LEAVE EVERYTHING OUT THERE AND FINISH ON A HIGH"

Quique Sánchez Flores's final pre-match press conference in charge was a long one as he said goodbye to the journalists ahead of Sunday's match at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. He started, "It [Sunday's game] will certainly be emotional for me. It will be the final game of a short but exhausting period of my life. It will be a weird feeling because on the one hand I've been able to achieve what I wanted to, but leaving will also make me feel a little empty. It has been a very intense few months. But we will finish the season satisfied with the job that has been done and hopefully the fans will be able to see the start of a project that brings them the team and the success that they deserve."

With regards to squad news, he revealed, "Gudelj has said that he's fit and available for selection but Navas and Acuña will not be included. They both have picked up small injuries. While they have recovered, we don't want to force or risk anything, especially with the European Championships and the Copa América around the corner." Sánchez Flores also said that he understands the reaction of the fans. "It has been a difficult season for them, there has been a lot of anxiety. If they want to have a party atmosphere, then great. But if they decide that it's better to reflect on the season or protest, then we understand. Whatever they decide, we will respect."

Our head coach then thanked the fans for their support during his time at the club. "The fans have been great from the start. There has been mutual respect and completed the journey together. The job is done and they've played an important part of that. I hope that they remember me as a hard worker and a good person that gave it their all. We managed to escape from a difficult situation. There were plenty of anxious moments but overall this has been an extremely valuable period of my career. It is a shame that I didn't come to Sevilla at a different time, but my journey contines."

He did not want to impart advice to his successor in the dugout. "I don't feel it's appropriate for me to say what the club needs. Every year is different. The next coach will have a different set of cards to play with." He did, however, make it clear that he would like Sergio Ramos to stay. "I hope he stays. The future of Sevilla belongs to those who know what it means to where the shirt. It is very much embodied in Navas, Sergio, Isaac, Kike Salas, Juanlu, Manu Bueno... Those who know what the badge stands for."

Acknowledging that the team's performances dropped once safety was secured, Quique hopes that Sunday will be different. "These days, players tend to relax more than compete once they've reached their objectives. Without it being an excuse, we have lost five very important players for this final part of the season. When the spine of the team is broken, it has a severe impact on our performances. After we lost Isaac's energy, we had to defend much more at the back. That, multiplied by five, opens up space on the wings. In those situations, the manager's orders don't always manifest on the pitch. Hopefully we can reach our top level on Sunday and can give the fans a good game, which they deserve."

Finally, he acknowledged that it has been a very difficult job. "It will go down in history as one of Sevilla's worst seasons, but it's been a true test for us all. It felt like I had to pull a very heavy cart, and the task of trying to win over the players had been very difficult. Ideally, we want to go out and give everything, but the wear and tear of this season has taken its toll; I am just the last coach in what has been a long journey this season. It's been a very complex mission, which took a lot of tactical adjustments to pull off."