Carlos Corberán: “We work to improve the results and bring joy to the fans. I know the demands of this club”

Our head coach, Carlos Corberán, spoke to the media in a press conference after Valencia CF’s match against RC Celta de Vigo at Mestalla this Saturday (0-0), corresponding to Matchday 2 of LALIGA 2026-27.

MATCH AND OPPONENT

“It was a very even game, where the first half was better than the second. Either team could have taken the lead. We found it difficult to get into the game after the break and Celta were better in the first 15 minutes of the second half, and they took good advantage of it.

We know about their ability to play through pressure, pin you back and attack a lot in your own half, so you have to maintain your organisation and make the most of the moments when you win the ball back, and at the beginning we found that difficult. However, as the minutes went by and with some changes, the team gained speed and the possibility of doing damage on the counter-attack.

The best chance in the first half was a counter-attack with Filip’s shot, and in the second half with Danjuma’s shot. Although it’s true that we found it difficult in our positional attacks because we wanted to cause them damage, and there was a spell of the game where we defended more than we wanted to.”

DE HAAS

“De Haas took a knock to his ankle and couldn’t continue playing. We don’t know the extent of the injury, but he couldn’t continue the match.”

DANJUMA

“I count on every player who is here. We have to improve the squad without weakening it, and we wanted to have a striker who could give us options in behind, or to run with freedom. I saw commitment from him. The truth is that, as a team in general, we didn’t have the attacking accuracy we would have liked, but I think he worked very hard for the team.”

CHANGE OF SYSTEM

“During pre-season, with Rioja’s injury and without signing a specific right-back, because Foulquier is still recovering, I understand that the best alternative to be a competitive team is a back five. Throughout the year, I like the team to have versatility. There are teams against whom, sometimes, you can be dominated more with a back four, and at other times, with a back five, you can be more aggressive. Celta are a team against whom you shouldn’t draw conclusions at a system level, because their ability to play means that, whatever system you put against them, they adapt very well to the spaces… But we have the possibility and we must bring in players who allow us to fluctuate between playing with four and five at the back, in order to show the identity we want, which is what’s important.”

NEW SIGNINGS

“We have to bring in players. Then those specific needs remain more at an internal level, but as I said in the press conference before the match, as a club we have to take a step forward and bring in players who can help improve the team.”

DEFENSIVELY

“It’s true that defensively the team has shown a certain solidity, but it’s also true that in the first half we were more aggressive and won the ball back in the opposition half, but there was a spell in the second half where we defended too much.

It’s also true that, apart from a shot from Marcos Alonso, they didn’t have any major chances. In fact, the number of chances for both teams was low, as were the expected goals. That means the team defended well, that they didn’t create much against us, but we defended more than we wanted to, while showing a lot of respect for the opposition, who, as I said before the match, are a team against whom recovering the ball is difficult.

It’s true that during that spell of the second half we found it difficult to attack more, win the ball back more and also attack more through our pressing.”

NEW PLAYERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

“I always hope to have the players as soon as possible. We had a lot of departures, we’ve had some arrivals, but ideally you always want to have the full squad as soon as possible, with the start of the league, and if it isn’t complete, to add the final detail. But that hasn’t been the case. We have to adapt to the circumstances, but the result of that isn’t only related to it. We also have to take a step forward with those of us who are here, apart from those who may come to help the team, which we also need. I saw a team capable of having a good game and it’s true that, during a certain spell, we found it difficult to do what we intended.”

MESTALLA

“I always respect Mestalla. My respect for this stadium, for these fans and for my club couldn’t be higher. I am an ally of the demands, I commit myself to them and I accept all criticism towards me when the team doesn’t win. I am the first to put my hand up and take responsibility, because that is the way to change things. I know what is expected of me, I know the demands of this club and we work to improve the results and bring joy to the fans.”

SECOND-HALF CHANGES

“In the end, you make decisions. I think it was important to have a natural-footed wing-back, especially with Sadiq coming on, while also having Hugo Duro’s introduction in mind. At the beginning of the second half, with Sadiq coming on, we wanted to have more of a counter-attacking threat, because I think Umar is a player who, if we play directly, can help us a lot by holding up those balls and having a pacey player alongside him, as Danjuma was. It allowed us to create a chance. It’s true that it’s a resource we should make more use of, and we will analyse the match to take better advantage of it more often.

Whether finishing with Hugo Duro and Sadiq as the strikers, or even before that, Maffeo’s introduction also meant having a more natural-footed player on each side, giving us more options to put crosses into the box.”