Back
González: "We weren't at our best -but we got the win"
The coach reflects on the 2-1 triumph over Sevilla FC
RCD Espanyol coach Manolo González gave a positive summary of the win against Sevilla FC on Matchday 13, speaking in his post-match press conference.
“For the first 20 minutes, for as long as we stuck to our game plan, we played well. We knew the type of opponent we were facing: very physical, and if you play them at duels under normal conditions, they'll beat you. When we started making mistakes, partly to Sevilla's credit, we gave them opportunities. We were good in the opening minutes, then the game got more complicated. From then on, we weren't at our best, but we managed to secure the victory against a team with their qualities,” he stated.
The coach added, “The problem is that you start very well, then they create two chances, and you lose confidence. There's a problem we have in our football culture regarding when to play short and when to play long. We let them press us, they did it well, and we gave them the chance. That's what I'm angry about. You have Ejuke, Vargas… they have a lot of powerful players in terms of one-on-one skills, but we can't afford to make things difficult for ourselves.”
“It’s all about adding points to the tally. If we reach 42 points soon, that will allow us to set another goal. Hopefully, we’ll get there by Matchday 30. You can’t stop there. We’re doing well. It seems like some people are bothered by our success, and they’re looking for signs of trouble. Espanyol are in a good place institutionally, with some of our best numbers in terms of members and fans, and we’re well-placed in the table. We’re in a good moment, even though some people want to find the negative,” he concluded.
Finally, he highlighted Marko Dmitrović’s performance.
“I look at it from two perspectives. On a personal level, when someone is a good person and gives their all, regardless of age, it shows on the pitch. Marko’s performance has been very good. I’m very happy for him and for the team. It’s important that a goalkeeper earns you points. This will help him feel more at ease. I’m very pleased with him. Everything you see on the pitch is the result of his tireless work every day.”