Corberán: "The Copa Del Rey is a competition Valencia CF have done well in"

Before the game against Sporting Gijon, Carlos Corberán talked to the media about the Copa del Rey contest.

Players out

Training today will be important for us to assess the situation. The only player unavailable will be Cömert. The others are fine: Rioja, Gayà… There are no other updates.

Rotations in a week with two matches

It's an important game. We'll assess the situation of the players who played the most minutes against Atletico Madrid, and find the best way to be competitive in tomorrow's match, which is our focus.

A five-man defence

We used it last season. When we've played against teams that have attacked with their full-backs, we've adjusted Rioja's position -because he tracks back and can play that role. Foulquier's injury has prevented the team from doing it more often; without him in the squad, we haven't been able to.

Analysis of results

Frustration isn't positive in life; you have to face all of the situations that arise. Many people support us; the other day we visited the hospital, for instance, and saw that. We have to set an example. Things don't always go as planned; we have to face them head-on, be upfront, and improve. We have a great, demanding challenge ahead, and we want to improve to put Valencia CF where the club deserves to be. The staff and the players are going to give their all so that Valencia CF are in the best possible position.

The Grada de Animación

It's very important. I know the response has been tremendous in these first few hours, which doesn't surprise me. When we play away from Mestalla, the number of young people who travel is significant. The future of Valencia CF will be very special because of the support of our fans. It's very important for us that this section is full. Hopefully, it will be.

The importance of the Copa del Rey

I felt that after the Cartagena match, the team would be better prepared for the remaining games, and the match at the Metropolitano proves it. We are better prepared to be competitive in the face of any adversity or any absences.

Competing in Gijón

Every game is important. Every match is vital for us, and that's how we're going to approach this one. Before the next LaLiga game, we have a fantastic fixture. The Copa del Rey is a competition where Valencia CF have historically done well. For this match, if you lose, you're eliminated, and we want to go through.

The need to keep improving

The reality in LaLiga is that we're not in a high position in the table. We're going to give importance to every match, to every point, and try our hardest. I don't stick to just one formation. We have to be able to use different approaches, because every team plays differently. We have to see if we can play with five or four at the back, whatever is best for each specific situation. It's important to have that ability to use more than one formation, so as not to lose the identity we want to project. That's what football is all about.

Thierry Correia's future

I would rate Titi's development as very positive. Foulquier's injury forced him to play more, and it was a bit rushed. He suffered from a lack of preparation in the first few matches, but he has improved every day since then and marked a turning point in the games against Real Betis and Real Madrid. We are happy with him, and the club are doing our job. There will be time to assess his situation.

Analysis of Sporting Gijon

Sporting compete very well; they prefer to press more than defend, whether that is through a formation or with man-marking. They are very comfortable with the ball, find solutions through their striker, have players to extend their attacks into the opposing half, and are very complete, organised, and led by a good coach in Borja. We know the demands of playing in a historic stadium -the oldest in Spain. It's going to be an intense and demanding match.

Kiat Lim

I'm focused on the fixtures we have. We’ve got a very demanding week ahead, with two important games in the Copa del Rey and LaLiga. It's not up to me to confirm or deny whether people are here. Our communication doesn't depend on physical presence; we communicate daily.

Javi Guerra

During a season, players have spells of form. Collective improvement depends on the improvement of each individual player. We know how important they are to the team.

Any fears about it being a difficult game

I don't approach games with fear; I approach them with motivation and respect. We analyse our opponents, and our preparation for this one doesn't deviate in the slightest from what we do in LaLiga. We will field first team players who are available to play. We approach it with high expectations; it's going to be an important game.