Quique S. Flores: “We’re Atlético de Madrid and we have to go out to win every match”
“We don’t compare ourselves with Real Madrid or with anybody”
Quique Sánchez Flores appeared before the media to respond to all of the questions related to the derby. He made it very clear that his team will head to the Santiago Bernabéu without fear and with the objective of earning a win, as they’ve done in other difficult encounters such as the European Super Cup against Inter or the most recent one, against Rosenborg. He’s optimistic about this classic match-up and has confidence in his squad.
It was commented to him that there could be a pessimistic atmosphere with respect to this visit to the Bernabéu. “The pessimistic atmosphere seems to fit us but we’re on the path to doing away with the general atmosphere that has always followed this team, which is all very dramatic and pessimistic. And it’s the opposite, because we’re in privileged spots in all of the competitions and we have to play a good game. This is a moment in which we have to play well. We know that many fans are paying attention to our response and these will be 90 minutes in which anything can happen and we hope that they’re positive.”
He was asked if this pessimistic environment reminded him of the week leading up to the Super Cup, when nobody would bet a dime on Atlético to beat Inter. “That would be really nice. We went into that final after having withstood a pre-season in which people were labelling us a disastrous team. We did the work we had to do and we got the response that we wanted in that match. The atmosphere is a bit similar. But the fact is that this team is in UEFA spots, is practically qualified for the next round of the Copa del Rey, and is doing very well in the Europa League. The only reason for the pessimism that I see is that we have players who are trying to recover from injury and that aren’t going to be able to. We’re going into this match joyful, happy and, as Sebastián Alvaro said, with an unmeasured optimism. These are situations in which you have to perform a heroic feat and with difficult overtones and a bit of electricity, you have to face these situations with unmeasured optimism.”
Mourinsho gave his starting line-up during his pre-game press conference, but Quique Sánchez Flores doesn’t tend to do that. “Mourinho has an advantage and it’s that his team played on Wednesday close to home. We arrived on Friday at five o’clock in the morning, completely exhausted after playing in a tough stadium and things are going to be heavier for us. In any case, I don’t usually give my line-ups.”
Another question touched on whether he was considering changing systems. The ‘rojiblanco’ manager said that “as a coach I’ve changed systems a couple of times. I don’t think this is the match to change anything. It’s a match to reaffirm our growth and our goals. There’s nothing to change in that sense. This team was a double champion and a three-time finalist just months ago and it would be a mistake to change now.”
With regards to Forlán, Quique Sánchez Flores said that “his specific plan hasn’t ended and I think he’s improved. The things he’s trying to do when he comes on are being done with a greater spark. The World Cup took a lot out of him, but it wasn’t just that because he made an enormous effort to make it back for the Super Cup final. Forlán’s numbers at the end of the season will be what they have to be, which will be the best on the team. With Forlán you make decisions from the same perspective as with other players. I always search for the best thing for the group and the best thing for each match. If it were for statistics the best players would always play, but I’m one of those people who thinks that you have to play those players who are in the best form. A coach’s argument is always the same; or you play the best or those that are in the best form. And I think that those who are in best form should always play.”
Regarding whether or not De Gea is fit to play this match, the coach said that “De Gea is fine. He didn’t train because he’s a footballer who plays everything. He’s fine and doesn’t have any problems.”
Concerning whether or not Reyes will be ready, he stated that “he trained with the rest of the team, he’s in the squad list, and has the same chances to play as the rest of his teammates.”
He was asked if he had thought about the possibility that if Atleti lose at the Bernabéu they’d be 12 points back of Real Madrid, the leader, he replied that “our demand is our objective and our objective is to be in Champions spots as long as possible and finish there in June. We don’t compare ourselves to Real Madrid or to anybody else. It’s one of the big advantages of Atlético de Madrid. One of our bases from last year, to get out of a distressful situation, was that we weren’t going to compare ourselves to anybody, that we’d do our job and that would be enough to get back to where we wanted to be. The same thing can be said right now. We have to do our job and not compare ourselves to anybody else. We’re Atlético de Madrid and we have to go out to win the match. If there’s a winner in the derby, hopefully it will be us. That’s what we’re going to search for without comparing ourselves to anybody. One’s paths don’t have to be similar during the season.”
He left it clear that he expects the best from his team in the derby because “whenever I’ve gone to the Bernabéu, it’s a stadium where one plays well and now I have very good tools to do that. It’s a pitch where you want to play, to be as focused as possible, and to do things right. I’m very calm in that sense.”
With respect to the win over Rosenborg possibly having a possible effect on the team, the Atlético manager said that “it was a very hard-fought victory in a stadium where nobody had won in a long time and I’ll stick with the result. The best thing that could have happened to us in Trondheim was the final result.”
Asked if the ‘rojiblanco’ supporters were a bit pessimistic about this clash, the coach said that he doesn’t fell that way. He stated that “Atlético de Madrid’s fans are magnificent and amazing. I don’t see them as pessimistic because when they see me in the streets they encourage me and say that we’re going to win, that it’s not going to be complicated. They think that we can win. I don’t understand the pessimism in times of prosperity. Our weapon is to play well, grow as a team and not let our opponent do what they want. I’m optimistic and I have unmeasured optimism.”
To wrap things up, regarding whether he is worried about the officiating, he was categorical: “not at all. I know Mateu Lahoz and he’s officiated the best matches in La Liga in recent years. He’s a very stable referee. Officially, I’ve said even in bad times that we don’t want anything to do with the referees. We are obligated to help out and since what happened in Villarreal happened, he have to help more than ever.”
It was commented to him that there could be a pessimistic atmosphere with respect to this visit to the Bernabéu. “The pessimistic atmosphere seems to fit us but we’re on the path to doing away with the general atmosphere that has always followed this team, which is all very dramatic and pessimistic. And it’s the opposite, because we’re in privileged spots in all of the competitions and we have to play a good game. This is a moment in which we have to play well. We know that many fans are paying attention to our response and these will be 90 minutes in which anything can happen and we hope that they’re positive.”
He was asked if this pessimistic environment reminded him of the week leading up to the Super Cup, when nobody would bet a dime on Atlético to beat Inter. “That would be really nice. We went into that final after having withstood a pre-season in which people were labelling us a disastrous team. We did the work we had to do and we got the response that we wanted in that match. The atmosphere is a bit similar. But the fact is that this team is in UEFA spots, is practically qualified for the next round of the Copa del Rey, and is doing very well in the Europa League. The only reason for the pessimism that I see is that we have players who are trying to recover from injury and that aren’t going to be able to. We’re going into this match joyful, happy and, as Sebastián Alvaro said, with an unmeasured optimism. These are situations in which you have to perform a heroic feat and with difficult overtones and a bit of electricity, you have to face these situations with unmeasured optimism.”
Mourinsho gave his starting line-up during his pre-game press conference, but Quique Sánchez Flores doesn’t tend to do that. “Mourinho has an advantage and it’s that his team played on Wednesday close to home. We arrived on Friday at five o’clock in the morning, completely exhausted after playing in a tough stadium and things are going to be heavier for us. In any case, I don’t usually give my line-ups.”
Another question touched on whether he was considering changing systems. The ‘rojiblanco’ manager said that “as a coach I’ve changed systems a couple of times. I don’t think this is the match to change anything. It’s a match to reaffirm our growth and our goals. There’s nothing to change in that sense. This team was a double champion and a three-time finalist just months ago and it would be a mistake to change now.”
With regards to Forlán, Quique Sánchez Flores said that “his specific plan hasn’t ended and I think he’s improved. The things he’s trying to do when he comes on are being done with a greater spark. The World Cup took a lot out of him, but it wasn’t just that because he made an enormous effort to make it back for the Super Cup final. Forlán’s numbers at the end of the season will be what they have to be, which will be the best on the team. With Forlán you make decisions from the same perspective as with other players. I always search for the best thing for the group and the best thing for each match. If it were for statistics the best players would always play, but I’m one of those people who thinks that you have to play those players who are in the best form. A coach’s argument is always the same; or you play the best or those that are in the best form. And I think that those who are in best form should always play.”
Regarding whether or not De Gea is fit to play this match, the coach said that “De Gea is fine. He didn’t train because he’s a footballer who plays everything. He’s fine and doesn’t have any problems.”
Concerning whether or not Reyes will be ready, he stated that “he trained with the rest of the team, he’s in the squad list, and has the same chances to play as the rest of his teammates.”
He was asked if he had thought about the possibility that if Atleti lose at the Bernabéu they’d be 12 points back of Real Madrid, the leader, he replied that “our demand is our objective and our objective is to be in Champions spots as long as possible and finish there in June. We don’t compare ourselves to Real Madrid or to anybody else. It’s one of the big advantages of Atlético de Madrid. One of our bases from last year, to get out of a distressful situation, was that we weren’t going to compare ourselves to anybody, that we’d do our job and that would be enough to get back to where we wanted to be. The same thing can be said right now. We have to do our job and not compare ourselves to anybody else. We’re Atlético de Madrid and we have to go out to win the match. If there’s a winner in the derby, hopefully it will be us. That’s what we’re going to search for without comparing ourselves to anybody. One’s paths don’t have to be similar during the season.”
He left it clear that he expects the best from his team in the derby because “whenever I’ve gone to the Bernabéu, it’s a stadium where one plays well and now I have very good tools to do that. It’s a pitch where you want to play, to be as focused as possible, and to do things right. I’m very calm in that sense.”
With respect to the win over Rosenborg possibly having a possible effect on the team, the Atlético manager said that “it was a very hard-fought victory in a stadium where nobody had won in a long time and I’ll stick with the result. The best thing that could have happened to us in Trondheim was the final result.”
Asked if the ‘rojiblanco’ supporters were a bit pessimistic about this clash, the coach said that he doesn’t fell that way. He stated that “Atlético de Madrid’s fans are magnificent and amazing. I don’t see them as pessimistic because when they see me in the streets they encourage me and say that we’re going to win, that it’s not going to be complicated. They think that we can win. I don’t understand the pessimism in times of prosperity. Our weapon is to play well, grow as a team and not let our opponent do what they want. I’m optimistic and I have unmeasured optimism.”
To wrap things up, regarding whether he is worried about the officiating, he was categorical: “not at all. I know Mateu Lahoz and he’s officiated the best matches in La Liga in recent years. He’s a very stable referee. Officially, I’ve said even in bad times that we don’t want anything to do with the referees. We are obligated to help out and since what happened in Villarreal happened, he have to help more than ever.”