Corona: “We are optimistic that the team can perform well”

Miguel Ángel Corona spoke to the media this Monday at the presentation of Luis Rioja, welcoming the winger and analysing the current state of play at the club.

Welcome message to Luis Rioja

I have to recognise the wonderful effort he has made and the insistence he had on playing for Valencia CF. He is a player who has been in LALIGA for many years, with a great pedigree in terms of participation, and he will help us achieve our objectives, to have a good season. He comes to complete the options on the wing. We have been looking for a long time for that specific left footed player who is capable of taking on the work that the wing demands. We are very happy, we wish him the best of luck and we hope that those nice conversations we have had dreaming of great afternoons at Mestalla come true.

Aims as sporting director

We always transmit the ambition to win every game. We have explained our financial situation, which is usually a reflection of the Financial Fair Play situation published by LALIGA. Our objective is optimistic, and everybody from the coach to each member of the club always want to win every game.

What we are doing is trying to stabilise the club financially, as we have been repeating in different statements and said at the last Shareholders' General Meeting. We want to have the most competitive squad possible.

Having a better squad this season

Being better or worse is a very common conversation for everyone, but experience tells us that these things are decided on the pitch. Last year, people said that the squad was worse, but their performance was better than that of the 2022/23 season. We will let the response be given on the pitch. We have a reinforced goalkeeping position, we are working with four forwards who are in shape and settled -one of them being our great obsession in this window and in past windows. Today we are presenting the winger that we had been chasing in the market... We all want the best squad possible, but we are keeping in line with what we had set out for ourselves. We had proposed the plan to maintain the block as much as possible. We are holding on to players, given the amounts and the offers we have received for some of them.

Concern over early results

Nobody likes to start with zero points. We knew the toughness of the calendar that we had ahead, but we are calm and relaxed. This has only just begun. The feeling about the first half against FC Barcelona was fantastic, extraordinary. I don't think anyone will take that performance as a point of reference either. Nobody can panic and I'm sure we will improve. We have several players sidelined -four in a squad of 20 outfield players-, and we are working calmly.

The status of Mamardashvili

Regarding the situation, we cannot hide it: We are close to reaching an agreement that includes Giorgi staying for one more season. Regarding reinvestment, first of all we have stepped forward in this window, something that we were asked a lot about last year when it was difficult for us. This year we have been a step ahead, knowing that with so many assets there would be some sales. We have 20 outfield players, which is the squad composition that we had planned, but we will be attentive in case any opportunity arises to improve the squad that falls within our circumstances.

Returning Valencia CF to Europe

We will talk at the end of the transfer window, as there are still 5 days left, but that question has been answered in previous public appearances. The President said at the Shareholders' General Meeting that economic problems are not solved overnight. Interest rates eat up a lot of the club's financial resources and, as we said, we aspire to be the best possible team through the growth of our players and maintaining the squad. Time gives you experience, competitiveness, resources... We want to always win every game.

Cenk and Samu Castillejo's situations

With Samu, the situation is 100% transparent, it has been explained and has been accepted by the player. We are looking for a solution in the transfer market. Regarding Cenk, I can talk about the absence of Javi Guerra, who didn't train for a day. We have seen how Gallagher did not train for several days. Protecting someone in a training session is something, as I answered before, that is absolutely normal in our world. In the case of Cenk, an opportunity appeared that protects our investment, and it is being studied. It would depend on how we can respond to the market with competitive guarantees. It will be resolved quickly because there are only a few days left of the transfer window.

Signing a player for the defence

We trust that we can have the best version of the team, as was seen during a stretch against FC Barcelona. We believe that with Mosquera having more experience last year, with the experience acquired by César, the growth of Yarek, the return of Gayà... We are optimistic that the team can perform well.