Quique S. Flores: “We’ll make the biggest effort possible to finish fifth or sixth”
“Not playing in the Europa League play-in round is important for the Club”
Quique Sánchez Flores held his usual pre-game press conference and spoke about what is team is playing for in the last game, qualifying directly for the Europa League in fifth or sixth place in order to avoid playing in the play-in round at the end of July, the forced absence of Domínguez and finishing the season as well as possible.
Regarding the list for Mallorca, he only confirmed the absence of Domínguez. He simply commented that “I tried to put together the roster as fairly as possible, thinking about the match we have against Mallorca. Domínguez has dizziness, went to take some tests, but he’ll be out for a few days and had to be dropped from the list, so it’s a new opportunity for Pulido. I have plenty of confidence in him. He’s a young lad from the academy and I’m delighted with these types of players who have such a strong desire to show what they’re made of.”
The ‘rojiblanco’ manager will sit on the Atlético de Madrid bench for the last time and surely wants to do so in grand fashion. “This isn’t individual, but on a group level. It’s a goal and we’re going to fall two or three points short of our main goal, which was Champions League. We’re going to try and finish as well as possible within this second European competition, which is the Europa League. If we finish fifth, better, and if it’s sixth, then that’s better than seventh. It’s important for the Club and we know it. Not having to play in the Europa League play-in round is important for the prestige of the Club. Therefore, we’re going to make the biggest effort possible against an opponent that is going to make things very difficult on us. Mallorca are going to fill the stadium because they’re playing to stay in the First Division and they’ll force us to play our best, but if we have the response that we’ve had in other games at our highest level, we’ll have our chances,” he commented.
Regarding an overall assessment of the season, the coach preferred to leave it for after the Mallorca game. “I don’t think that this is the day to summarize the season because we’re still thinking heavily on our goal. We have one game left that’s very important for the Club. Those who need to know internally are the directors and those with whom we’ve worked hand-in-hand for this season’s goals know that things could have been done better. Beyond the errors of the coaches and players, there have been things that could have gone better for the team and that’s being passed on. They’re two or three correctable points that I imagine will make Atlético de Madrid stronger, especially because we’re all in agreement,' he said.
Concerning how the team is doing heading into this last round of La Liga, the manager believes that “the team is fine. We’ve had two poor halves in the last 13 matches that have cost us two losses. We have a correct fluidity and form of playing that have allowed us to win quite a few games. We can’t fall into the trap of doing what we did in the two games before playing against Hercules, because if we have a bad half against Mallorca they won’t pardon us. If we’re stuck in and focused on our goals and look to finish as well as possible, as we have to as professionals, we’ll have options. And being very, very selfish, the players should think that between playing in the qualifying round and coming to train ten days earlier, and resting for longer and beginning a new project right and coming in completely clean, they should make a huge effort for the latter to happen.”
He was asked about Mario Suárez, a player who has improved over the course of the season and has ended up winning a spot in the starting eleven. “Mario had a problem in his pubis that lowered his performance. When I arrived before starting the season, Mario was already doing rehab exercises in the gym. For a lad who is from the academy, but was formed in another club, to experience his first year here in the first squad at age 24, it’s been special. He’s a great player, he has a bright future and a magnificent present. He may be in that wave of players who could get a shot with the national team. And that’s great news for Atlético de Madrid,” he stated.
The manager commented that “I’ve made many decisions during the year and, obviously, I’ve made mistakes on some of them. At the end of the season, all coaches, when we review everything, say things that we made mistakes about or touch on difficult subjects. In general, there are situations that are never whimsical. It pains me that someone would have thought that I take my job as a passing fancy. For that reason, I have a coaching staff like the one I have, hard-working and that spends hours dedicated to this job. We’re not capricious. We’ve had many tough decisions. I also would have liked to have been clearer about my squad. But when isn’t sure about the decisions, they’re not whimsical.”
The journalists tried to get to his sensitive side with the topic of possible relegations, as Quique played at Zaragoza and coached Getafe, two of the teams that are playing for their lives in this last matchday. “One makes connections which everyone from the First Division through friendship with a President, players or vice-presidents. I wish nobody had to get relegated because it’s a huge blow, but if there’s a team that I have special affection for it’s Getafe. I don’t want them to go down at all, but tomorrow we’re going to play for Atlético de Madrid, not for any other club,” he stated.
To finish, he commented that “as I’m very fed up with taking on mortgages, what do you want me to say? In each Club I’ve coached at I’ve had Intertot, Europa League play-in rounds or nothing, relegation battles... so many things that leaving the team in a Europa League qualifier isn’t so bad. I’d like to not leave the team in the Europa League play-in round, but not for the fact of playing it, but because within the Club’s objectives, I want to leave the team in Europe with a certain degree of tranquility, as it would be the best possible news for next year’s project. Because from here on out I wish the Club the best of luck.”
Regarding the list for Mallorca, he only confirmed the absence of Domínguez. He simply commented that “I tried to put together the roster as fairly as possible, thinking about the match we have against Mallorca. Domínguez has dizziness, went to take some tests, but he’ll be out for a few days and had to be dropped from the list, so it’s a new opportunity for Pulido. I have plenty of confidence in him. He’s a young lad from the academy and I’m delighted with these types of players who have such a strong desire to show what they’re made of.”
The ‘rojiblanco’ manager will sit on the Atlético de Madrid bench for the last time and surely wants to do so in grand fashion. “This isn’t individual, but on a group level. It’s a goal and we’re going to fall two or three points short of our main goal, which was Champions League. We’re going to try and finish as well as possible within this second European competition, which is the Europa League. If we finish fifth, better, and if it’s sixth, then that’s better than seventh. It’s important for the Club and we know it. Not having to play in the Europa League play-in round is important for the prestige of the Club. Therefore, we’re going to make the biggest effort possible against an opponent that is going to make things very difficult on us. Mallorca are going to fill the stadium because they’re playing to stay in the First Division and they’ll force us to play our best, but if we have the response that we’ve had in other games at our highest level, we’ll have our chances,” he commented.
Regarding an overall assessment of the season, the coach preferred to leave it for after the Mallorca game. “I don’t think that this is the day to summarize the season because we’re still thinking heavily on our goal. We have one game left that’s very important for the Club. Those who need to know internally are the directors and those with whom we’ve worked hand-in-hand for this season’s goals know that things could have been done better. Beyond the errors of the coaches and players, there have been things that could have gone better for the team and that’s being passed on. They’re two or three correctable points that I imagine will make Atlético de Madrid stronger, especially because we’re all in agreement,' he said.
Concerning how the team is doing heading into this last round of La Liga, the manager believes that “the team is fine. We’ve had two poor halves in the last 13 matches that have cost us two losses. We have a correct fluidity and form of playing that have allowed us to win quite a few games. We can’t fall into the trap of doing what we did in the two games before playing against Hercules, because if we have a bad half against Mallorca they won’t pardon us. If we’re stuck in and focused on our goals and look to finish as well as possible, as we have to as professionals, we’ll have options. And being very, very selfish, the players should think that between playing in the qualifying round and coming to train ten days earlier, and resting for longer and beginning a new project right and coming in completely clean, they should make a huge effort for the latter to happen.”
He was asked about Mario Suárez, a player who has improved over the course of the season and has ended up winning a spot in the starting eleven. “Mario had a problem in his pubis that lowered his performance. When I arrived before starting the season, Mario was already doing rehab exercises in the gym. For a lad who is from the academy, but was formed in another club, to experience his first year here in the first squad at age 24, it’s been special. He’s a great player, he has a bright future and a magnificent present. He may be in that wave of players who could get a shot with the national team. And that’s great news for Atlético de Madrid,” he stated.
The manager commented that “I’ve made many decisions during the year and, obviously, I’ve made mistakes on some of them. At the end of the season, all coaches, when we review everything, say things that we made mistakes about or touch on difficult subjects. In general, there are situations that are never whimsical. It pains me that someone would have thought that I take my job as a passing fancy. For that reason, I have a coaching staff like the one I have, hard-working and that spends hours dedicated to this job. We’re not capricious. We’ve had many tough decisions. I also would have liked to have been clearer about my squad. But when isn’t sure about the decisions, they’re not whimsical.”
The journalists tried to get to his sensitive side with the topic of possible relegations, as Quique played at Zaragoza and coached Getafe, two of the teams that are playing for their lives in this last matchday. “One makes connections which everyone from the First Division through friendship with a President, players or vice-presidents. I wish nobody had to get relegated because it’s a huge blow, but if there’s a team that I have special affection for it’s Getafe. I don’t want them to go down at all, but tomorrow we’re going to play for Atlético de Madrid, not for any other club,” he stated.
To finish, he commented that “as I’m very fed up with taking on mortgages, what do you want me to say? In each Club I’ve coached at I’ve had Intertot, Europa League play-in rounds or nothing, relegation battles... so many things that leaving the team in a Europa League qualifier isn’t so bad. I’d like to not leave the team in the Europa League play-in round, but not for the fact of playing it, but because within the Club’s objectives, I want to leave the team in Europe with a certain degree of tranquility, as it would be the best possible news for next year’s project. Because from here on out I wish the Club the best of luck.”