GARCÍA PIMIENTA: "IT WILL BE A VERY SPECIAL AND EMOTIVE GAME THAT WE ARE READY FOR"

Undoubtedly, the main name in the pre-match press conference was Jesús Navas. Xavi García Pimenta himself emphasised: “We have prepared in a slightly different because of what it means. It is Jesus' last match in front of the fans and with his teammates. It is a very emotional match, very special, but preparing it with all the dedication, energy and focus to play well against a very difficult opponent. The most important person has been Navas during the whole week. We have talked and there have been some jokes in training, but taking into account the importance of the match, which is a league game with three points at stake. With the emotions the players are very professional, Navas being the first one to set the example. It will be a different type of match with tributes at the beginning and end, but we need to give our best version to win and get three very important points. They have an incredible coach who is doing things very well since last season. He has given the team a great style of play with a lot of guys from the academy who are capable of competing against Madrid or drawing with Barcelona. I'm sure there will be that bond between the fans and the players. With everyone's help, we will have to fight to get the three points." 

He confirmed that the captain will play and that he expects him to be involved next week as well: “I am not going to tell you if he will start or not. He will play for sure and I would like it not to be his last game in the Sevilla shirt. We have a very nice game at the Bernabéu next week and it would also be a nice way for a legend like him to say goodbye." 

"I can't say if he will start or not but he will play for sure" 

For him as a coach, it has also been something special: “I have had the great fortune of coaching Jesús Navas. Not just the Jesús Navas that everyone knows as a player. I have met the person and I have been amazed. It has been a real pleasure to not just coach him, but know him as a person. He is an example at 39 years old, training as he has done today and will do next week until the last day he wears the shirt. It has been a privilege to coach him and it something I will always treasure. I tried to get him to change his mind but couldn't. Last weekend, before the Atletico game, he didn't train because he had a hip problem. He was not at 100% and I decided not to use him because he had not been able to train. He has earned the right to decide when to retire, he has arrived at this moment and tomorrow he will play a great game for as many minutes as he plays." 

He is an example for those who are here and for those who will come: “Jesús is not a player who shouts, but he leads by example. He arrives first, leaves last, always trains at 100% and makes no excuses. When he plays as a starter he does well and if not, he is ready. He is an example with his way of training and playing for the rest of the academy players. Everyone admires him and I don't know of anyone who speaks badly of him. It's easy to come here and say that he's a great player, but if everyone speaks highly of him it's because, throughout his career, he's also been an excellent person”.

He also commented on what the captain said to the squad in today's training session: “Jesus' message was very clear. We are all lucky to belong to Sevilla, to wear that shirt and that we must defend it to the death. That the fans have to feel proud, that he is very grateful to the team and to those of us who are around him because we are his family and we have always wanted to help him. We have to follow his path. Now, it's time to fill the gap he leaves: “He was so honest at the beginning that he extend his contract for six months. He told us that he was going to be helping out until December and that he was willing to continue being the captain and lead the way a little bit. He has led by example. We were already counting on him leaving in January and we had to reinforce the winger position where I have used him the most. He made it easy for us to plan what came next." 

He finished by talking about his future: “He has also earned the right to decide what he is most excited about or what he wants to do. I'd like him to be close to the first team in something he likes. We'll have to let these weeks pass, we'll go on holiday and when we return we'll talk calmly to find out what he'd like to do. He has to be there, be the emblem of the club and work where he feels best. I'm sure he will be proud to work in whatever he likes, but I would like it to be close to the first team”.