Diego Godín: “Anoeta is a nice chance to make a jump towards the top”
“It will be a very tough qualifying tie against Espanyol”
Diego Godín is happy. After having surgery on a sharp appendicitis, he has recovered and will be able to play this weekend. The ‘rojiblanco’ centre-back appeared before the media to speak about the Copa del Rey, his return to the pitch, and the team’s situation as they look for their second win away from home in San Sebastian against Real Sociedad.
Godín lent a tremendous amount of importance to the Copa del Rey. Atleti’s opponent in the round of 16 is Espanyol and, if they pass that round, will face the winner of the Real Madrid-Levante tie. “First we play Espanyol. It’s going to be a very tough qualifying tie because Espanyol is playing really well this season and are near the top. And if we pass and so does Madrid, it would be a nice challenge and a chance for revenge.”
It was mentioned to him that after the victory earned in San Mamés, the team has only got a draw at Mestalla. “We know that we haven’t played well away from home, that we haven’t earned many points, and it’s on our list. The schedule favours us a bit now and we have to take advantage of the fact that we play well at home to win away, which would be to achieve that plus that we need to be up higher.”
Atlético hasn’t won in San Sebastián in 17 years and still hasn’t ever won at Anoeta, Real Sociedad’s stadium. “I didn’t know that; I just found out. Each match is different. We’re fine and we’re confident. We know that it’s a nice chance to make a jump towards the top. That’s what we’re missing, winning away from home, and we know that when we’re able to do that we’re going to be battling for a spot in the top four. We’re confident and going to win away from home is a challenge.”
With respect to the Copa del Rey, it’s a tournament that gave Atlético de Madrid life last season, even though there were some rough moments in certain rounds. “When it starts, the teams don’t lend as much importance to this tournament as they do at the end. It’s a really great competition that becomes more and more attractive as you pass different rounds. I’ll repeat that it’s going to be very tough, but we hope to move forward in this Cup. You have to go match-to-match because if you want to be champions you have to beat everyone you get matched up against.”
On a personal level, he’s having an up-and-down type season because of the injury, and then the appendicitis. “Recently I’ve gone through things that have kept me out of many games these past two months. Fortunately I’ve recovered and I’m getting fit with the group, as far as football goes, and I’m going to try as hard as I can to be ready for the gaffer on Sunday.”
The team’s goal is to earn as many points as possible until the end of the first round of league play. “The coach has proposed to get to around 30 points because it would be a really good first half. Personally, and I think that the entire group feels the same, we have to be amongst the top four. If we finish the first half of the season amongst the top four, fighting for third place, which is tough to get to, I think that we’ll be doing just fine.”
To finish, as a fellow countryman of Forlán, he was asked how important it was for his teammate and for the team in general for the Atlético ‘7’ to get back on the scoresheet. “Obviously we were all happy because strikers live off of goals and Diego is a person who really feels it. For him to score two goals and play a great match meant a lot to him. It will be good for him to gain more confidence and also for us because he’s an essential player.”
Godín lent a tremendous amount of importance to the Copa del Rey. Atleti’s opponent in the round of 16 is Espanyol and, if they pass that round, will face the winner of the Real Madrid-Levante tie. “First we play Espanyol. It’s going to be a very tough qualifying tie because Espanyol is playing really well this season and are near the top. And if we pass and so does Madrid, it would be a nice challenge and a chance for revenge.”
It was mentioned to him that after the victory earned in San Mamés, the team has only got a draw at Mestalla. “We know that we haven’t played well away from home, that we haven’t earned many points, and it’s on our list. The schedule favours us a bit now and we have to take advantage of the fact that we play well at home to win away, which would be to achieve that plus that we need to be up higher.”
Atlético hasn’t won in San Sebastián in 17 years and still hasn’t ever won at Anoeta, Real Sociedad’s stadium. “I didn’t know that; I just found out. Each match is different. We’re fine and we’re confident. We know that it’s a nice chance to make a jump towards the top. That’s what we’re missing, winning away from home, and we know that when we’re able to do that we’re going to be battling for a spot in the top four. We’re confident and going to win away from home is a challenge.”
With respect to the Copa del Rey, it’s a tournament that gave Atlético de Madrid life last season, even though there were some rough moments in certain rounds. “When it starts, the teams don’t lend as much importance to this tournament as they do at the end. It’s a really great competition that becomes more and more attractive as you pass different rounds. I’ll repeat that it’s going to be very tough, but we hope to move forward in this Cup. You have to go match-to-match because if you want to be champions you have to beat everyone you get matched up against.”
On a personal level, he’s having an up-and-down type season because of the injury, and then the appendicitis. “Recently I’ve gone through things that have kept me out of many games these past two months. Fortunately I’ve recovered and I’m getting fit with the group, as far as football goes, and I’m going to try as hard as I can to be ready for the gaffer on Sunday.”
The team’s goal is to earn as many points as possible until the end of the first round of league play. “The coach has proposed to get to around 30 points because it would be a really good first half. Personally, and I think that the entire group feels the same, we have to be amongst the top four. If we finish the first half of the season amongst the top four, fighting for third place, which is tough to get to, I think that we’ll be doing just fine.”
To finish, as a fellow countryman of Forlán, he was asked how important it was for his teammate and for the team in general for the Atlético ‘7’ to get back on the scoresheet. “Obviously we were all happy because strikers live off of goals and Diego is a person who really feels it. For him to score two goals and play a great match meant a lot to him. It will be good for him to gain more confidence and also for us because he’s an essential player.”