Quique S. Flores: 'We were able to keep our position on the pitch with 10”
“The sending off of Reyes conditioned the match”
Quique Sánchez Flores appeared happy with the win against Espanyol, but knows that the qualifying tie is far from over. “The team is on a positive run. We were able to beat a tough opponent that knows how to run and move the ball. We were able to keep our position on the pitch despite playing a man down and we could have even scored a second goal. It’s a result that hasn’t decided anything.”
The ‘rojiblanco’ manager lamented his team’s bad luck with the injury to Diego Forlán. “He had been coming off some days of rest and could have done some real damage to Espanyol. With respect to the sending off of Reyes, I don’t support the idea that a player who is attacked should attack in retaliation, but it makes you really angry that the player who takes the biggest beatings in the league has to leave the pitch when he’s attacked; it seems wrong to me. It tastes bad that the aggressor stays on the pitch and the attacked has to leave. It conditioned the match. It affected the team’s pressure; you could really tell we were playing a man down,” he assured.
The Atlético de Madrid manager revealed the conversation that he held at halftime with Sergio Agüero. “I told him that he was worth two players. He’s strong. His first steps are really fast and he was aware that he was going to create chances, and he had them. In any case, it’s important not to concede any goals. In the last four games, we’ve kept three clean sheets. There’s a lot left to be done. We’re going to play the return leg in the most difficult stadium in the entire league. But we like to play in these types of qualifying ties.
“I think that in the end we wrapped up the year with a good taste, although we’re left with the bitterness of the tragic week that knocked us out of Europe, but we’re going to keep fighting to move forward with all the excitement in the world. We’re alive in two competitions. We’re close to Champions spots and alive in the Copa del Rey. Our fans have to know that we’re move ahead, fighting and battling until the end,” he assured.
Regarding the team’s new signing, Elías, Quique stated that “we want him to join the group dynamic as soon as possible, we’re interested to find out his physical state.”
To finish, the manager spoke about Simão and said that “it’s been an honour to have him in my squad, and I’d like to thank him for his contribution to the team. He’s been a spectacular professional with weight both on and off the pitch. We wish him the best of luck in the future. The Club continues with the idea of strengthening his position. The important thing is for us to make the right decision with any signing.”
The ‘rojiblanco’ manager lamented his team’s bad luck with the injury to Diego Forlán. “He had been coming off some days of rest and could have done some real damage to Espanyol. With respect to the sending off of Reyes, I don’t support the idea that a player who is attacked should attack in retaliation, but it makes you really angry that the player who takes the biggest beatings in the league has to leave the pitch when he’s attacked; it seems wrong to me. It tastes bad that the aggressor stays on the pitch and the attacked has to leave. It conditioned the match. It affected the team’s pressure; you could really tell we were playing a man down,” he assured.
The Atlético de Madrid manager revealed the conversation that he held at halftime with Sergio Agüero. “I told him that he was worth two players. He’s strong. His first steps are really fast and he was aware that he was going to create chances, and he had them. In any case, it’s important not to concede any goals. In the last four games, we’ve kept three clean sheets. There’s a lot left to be done. We’re going to play the return leg in the most difficult stadium in the entire league. But we like to play in these types of qualifying ties.
“I think that in the end we wrapped up the year with a good taste, although we’re left with the bitterness of the tragic week that knocked us out of Europe, but we’re going to keep fighting to move forward with all the excitement in the world. We’re alive in two competitions. We’re close to Champions spots and alive in the Copa del Rey. Our fans have to know that we’re move ahead, fighting and battling until the end,” he assured.
Regarding the team’s new signing, Elías, Quique stated that “we want him to join the group dynamic as soon as possible, we’re interested to find out his physical state.”
To finish, the manager spoke about Simão and said that “it’s been an honour to have him in my squad, and I’d like to thank him for his contribution to the team. He’s been a spectacular professional with weight both on and off the pitch. We wish him the best of luck in the future. The Club continues with the idea of strengthening his position. The important thing is for us to make the right decision with any signing.”
