Gayà: "We are one step away from fourth place, and we have to take it"

Fresh from thanking the fans on the pitch at Mestalla after a vital victory against Deportivo Alavés, José Luis Gayà evaluated the win, the season and results for the club's rivals in a post-match interview.

An important result

"We've spent the entire season suffering, playing finals every Sunday, and with today's result our playing Champions League football next season is in our own hands. That's something that was unthinkable after the first half of the campaign. The team never gave up and have always fought hard. Now we need to finish it off. We're very happy; these fans deserve it."

Valladolid achieve safety and Getafe CF lose

"We found out how the other teams were doing at halftime, but the atmosphere in the second half was a little strange and I thought that maybe Getafe had scored. The fact that Valladolid are safe is very positive, but we know that these games aren't easy and that the game there will be another final. We've been playing finals since the start of the season, because things didn't go well then, and we are ready for them."

Champions League football a just reward

"I think that it would be. This team have always worked hard and tried to overcome difficulties. We've never hidden after bad runs of results. We've stuck together and now it's down to us to qualify for the Champions League."

The assist for Gameiro

"The important thing is that the team won and had a convincing showing in a difficult game. I like talking about the team, which is the most important thing."

Evaluating the season

"Things became very difficult for us with a lot of draws. It was very difficult to think that we would be in our current situation after the first half of the season. It was hard to think that we would be able to qualify for the Champions League and finish the season in spectacular style. We are one step away from fourth place, and we have to take it."