Gracia: "There is an extra motivation for this game amongst our fans"

The Matchday 6 game against Villarreal CF is a homecoming of sorts for Javi Gracia, who played for the club for 3.5 seasons and also coached the second team. His focus now is on winning at the Estadio de la Ceramica with Valencia CF, as he explained in a press conference on Saturday afternoon.

The game against Villarreal CF

“It's always a game with a rivalry and with players from both sides facing their former clubs. I think there is that extra motivation and excitement about the game amongst our fans.

In terms of how we are, we're good. The team have worked well throughout the week. As we've incorporated the players returning from international duty they've had that tiredness that is logical, but after a while here they've been training with the team and have had enough time to recover. They are available for tomorrow.

As for the opposition, they look to be in good shape and in a position that is similar to ours in the table. They are just a point ahead. They have a high level squad and last year they were fifth. This year, with the reinforcements that they have made, they are obviously contenders for Champions League spots. We will try to keep the same form going as we have had away from home, with that game at San Sebastian in which we were at a high level. We will try to be strong away from home as well, and get good results on the road.”

Ambitions for the season

“I think that Carlos Soler explained very well that our challenges are to fight in every game, then see where we are capable of finishing. He hasn’t said anything that the rest of the players and coaching staff don’t think. That doesn’t take anything away from the ambition to take Valencia CF as high up the table as possible. The circumstances are what they are, and we try to isolate ourselves and focus on what really matters: Tomorrow we have a big game and I think that we are all concentrating on that. The challenge for us is to preform to the standards of this club, which is what was set out to me at the start.”

His personal situation

“After the meeting I had with the president, he has come to watch training and I have had a phone conversation with him. I think that the dressing room is in high spirits and very motivated by the daily work we have been doing. We are very motivated for the game tomorrow, and I think we have a good chance of doing things well and claiming a good result.”

“I am where I really want to be. Circumstances change and maybe they aren’t what we expected now, but I’ve been coaching for a long time and I am very happy to be at this club. I am proud and excited about having a good season.”

“I have no reason to change my feelings. I come to the Ciudad Deportiva every day to coach and to be the coach of this club. I feel extremely proud of this, and will be until my last day here -which I hope is a long way away. My job is to get the best performance possible from the team, and I have to make this team achieve the best results possible. That’s my responsibility, and that is all I am concerned about at the moment.”