Baraja: "We have a final on Sunday at Mestalla"

Rubén Baraja talked to the media in his post-match press conference following Valencia CF's defeat on the road against RCD Mallorca.

Analysing the match

It was a very closed-off game with few scoring situations, and Mallorca had the necessary accuracy to go in front. We had chances: In the first half for Diego López and in the second for Justin Kluivert. We weren't successful. That was the difference. It was a very difficult and close game against a Mallorca side that do not allow you anything, that defend well and come out with speed on the counter. We didn't perform at our best level but the opposition also gave us an uncomfortable game. The difference in the game was the finishing.

The effect of the recent controversy

We have already expressed our rejection of racism several times. We cannot look for excuses in those issues. We are focused on our path, which we know is very difficult. We thought that we could have a a better game, win and forget about relegation definitively, but we lost and we ae playing for it on Sunday.

Treating the game against Espanyol as a final

It's a 'final' and we need our fans to be more united than ever, and for us to get the three points that give us peace of mind. There is no time to lament or look for excuses. We have to reset and focus on Espanyol.

I understand that people can have their assessments but we have always sent out the same message. Results can go our way, but we have to try to do our job. We didn't have the right idea today, we lacked freshness and energy and now the competition leads us to play this game against Espanyol, which is massive. With two games to go, it is a 'final.'

The Grada de Animación stand

I have already said what I thought about the sanction and I imagine that the club will be appealing to give us the possibility to have the fans cheering us on at Mestalla. It is important for us that they are there. We will look at the legal channels that give us that possibility.

Ambition

We didn't have a good day today. We weren't precise and lost the ball a lot. We didn't have continuity against a team that do not allow you to run the counters that are one of our characteristics. That made the game even and no team dominated. We needed to find our lines with positional passes and attack better, as well as having success in the two or three clear chances we had. Mallorca didn't have chances either, besides their goal. The difference was that. They finished their chance and we didn't, and it is what it is.

Kluivert

Justin is a very important player for us and we decided that he would come on in the second half. That is what he did. He is on 4 yellows cards, he is coming off an injury and he had played two very intense games. He came on and had the clearest chance. There wasn't anything in him not playing in the first half.

The team's lack of accuracy in front of goal

We had the ambition to win this game but not every game goes the way you want. We wanted a third consecutive victory to have complete peace of mind. Mallorca scored from their chance, we didn't, and now we have to prepare for the next game, which is at Mestalla in front of our fans. We have to try to play a good game to get those three points that seal our spot in the Primera División. When things don't work out for you there are many ways to analyse it, but I don't think there was a lack of ambition or that we would have settled for a draw. It is a game in which Mallorca could go on the counter and we tried to be careful. We lacked success in the final metres. That was the difference in this game.

The importance of Sunday's game

People know what is at stake on Sunday, I've been saying it since I arrived: Valencia CF staying in the Primera División is down to Mestalla. They know it, and the competition is leading us to this. Today we weren't able to get the result and Sunday is now a final. We are going to try to recover well, not get down about it and face the game with our fans supporting us. We need them to be with us to the fullest.