GARCÍA PIMIENTA: "WE HAVE TO TAKE IT GAME BY GAME, AND BY MATCHDAY 33 WE'LL SEE OUR REAL GOALS"

Xavier García Pimienta, Sevilla FC coach, was the main guest on Monday afternoon's Libre y Directo talk show on Cadena SER, broadcast by Radio Sevilla.The Sevilla coach analyzed the team's current situation during the program, addressing various topics. To start, García Pimienta reflected on Saturday's victory at Montilivi: "We were coming off a mediocre game at home against Valencia, where we didn’t perform at the level we should have. We were up against a tough opponent, a Champions League-level team, and things could have gone badly for us. We stood tall, took the hit of their goal, and managed to come back in a very difficult moment. I’m very happy with the three points." 

Regarding the goals the team might set, the Sevilla coach stated,“we have to be realistic. We’re nothing like the team from previous years in terms of budget, and the players, as well as the entire coaching staff, are new. Around matchday 33-34, we’ll sit down again and talk about our real objectives, but for now, we have to take it game by game because everything can change a lot from one match to the next.”

"It is very important to know how to adapt to the environment you are in, to the profile of the players..."

García Pimienta praised the performances of Lukebakio and Saúl’s effort to get back to his best: "Dodi could easily play for Real Madrid or Barcelona, even as a substitute. He’s pulling the team forward and showing the player he is. We’ve won many matches thanks to his goals, and he’s become a key player. He needs to keep proving his level. As for Saúl, I spoke to him in the summer about what I expected from him, and he did everything he could to join us, which says a lot about him, especially knowing that this isn't the Sevilla of previous years. Unfortunately, he's had to deal with suspensions and injuries, but he keeps pushing himself to the limit and giving his all. He’ll continue to prove his level, I’m convinced of that, and he’s the first one who wasn’t satisfied with his performances. The other day’s match was a big relief for him."

"It is very important to know how to adapt to the environment you’re in, to the club, to the profile of the players... I think we’re doing well. We’re playing well when we have the ball, direct when it’s necessary... The goal is to adapt to everything in order to get the best performance from the players. I like to have the ball when it makes sense. I’m grateful for the trust the club has placed in me, and I would like to be here long enough to implement and consolidate my idea," he said about the style of play he’s trying to establish.

"On Saturday, we want to get closer to 30 points and secure our first two consecutive victories."

García Pimienta also emphasized that "the club told me from the very beginning that the intention is to return to what we were before, in a more measured way due to the economy, but that any sale would be replaced, and I feel the utmost confidence from Víctor and José María, and what they’re telling me is being fulfilled. If key players leave, they will be replaced by players of the same level, because otherwise, it will obviously be difficult."

To conclude, the Sevilla coach referred to the next match, against RCD Espanyol at Nervión: "It’s a good objective to get closer to 30 points and secure two consecutive victories, which we haven’t been able to achieve yet. They are a team with needs, and we hope to give the best version of our team so that the fans enjoy it and we get the three points to keep climbing."