Valencia CF’s Hugo Guillamón talks about the second half of the season, changes under Rubén Baraja and the upcoming LaLiga match against FC Barcelona.  

The win against Real Sociedad

It was a very important win for us against Real Sociedad. It was important for the fans and meant that we could loosen up a bit, because we had been suffering all these months without getting the results. I think the team made a big effort and worked hard because it was a very difficult match. We got through it with the help of our fans and now the important thing is to keep consistent.

The mood in the dressing room

It was essential to break the bad streak of results because in the end it lowers your spirits and the team were feeling it. It was difficult for us when we received a blow and this victory can help us a lot psychologically.

Competing in LaLiga

We have shown that we can compete against any team. In recent months we have not achieved the results we wanted, but this match is going to be a turning point to loosen up and gain a lot of confidence for the coming run of games.

Clean sheets

The issue of keeping clean sheets is key because it always keeps you in the game. We had not been able to get a shutout for a long time. The coach asks us for 4 very clear things and that we leave everything on the pitch, because we represent a great club. With what he asks of us, we’ve seen that we can compete.

The importance of Mestalla

I have always said that Mestalla is key for us. It helps us a lot. They have been supporting us all year, in difficult situations, and that is when we need them the most. When they like what they see, they push us on and help us a lot. We have to make Mestalla a pressure cooker every weekend that we play at home, so that we can take the 3 points.

Baraja and Marchena

We are lucky to be able to work with Baraja and Marchena, who are club legends and we all feel great admiration for them. From the first day they came in, they reassured us and told us that they were here help us, but that there were the demands from what they have experienced, being at the top with Valencia CF. Little by little we will see their influence in the work we are doing.

They know the club and Mestalla well and they know that when Mestalla sees that the team are trying and want to get results, they support a lot. It is essential to feel that support because it gives us a lot of strength and the opposition notice it too.

The message from the coach

Baraja arrived in a difficult situation after several months without us winning and the only thing he wanted is for us to feel that we could do it, for us to believe in what we were going to work for. He is a serious coach who transmits his ideas and what he wants us to do, and I think he is going to help us a lot in the remainder of the season.

He asks us to come in every day and work as if our lives depended on it. He wants all of the work in the week to be seen in the game.

He is clear about what he wants and what he expects from us. He and Marchena transmit that confidence and the experience that they have to the players and are helping us a lot.

The fans

The fans are vital every game at Mestalla. We have gone through difficult times in which we have not obtained results, and it’s normal that the fans don’t go home happy after that. But during the 90 minutes they are a twelfth man who fight for every ball and help us a lot to achieve victories.

Consistency

This season we have lacked consistency, both in individual games and in terms of achieving several good results in a row. But we are working well, the team have desire and are motivated to turn the situation around and start taking victories. That is also down to solidity and continuity in the defensive work we are doing. Baraja also wants us to be happy and brave with the ball to hurt our opponents.

The situation

No one wants to be down at the bottom, and we didn't expect to be there at the beginning of the season. We've had a very bad run, with results we didn't expect; perhaps we could have earned a few more points, but we can't think about that. We are focusing on the remainder of the season. There are many games to go and many points to play for, and Saturday's match against Real Sociedad is a sign that the team are going to fight until the end to finish as high up as possible.

Hard work

We have achieved a victory, but nothing is over yet. We have to be much more consistent and make the work we are doing to get more victories count.

The team

There are many games left, many minutes to play and we are in a situation where we cannot afford to do without any of the players. We need everyone to help, be it from on the pitch, o the sidelines or from the stands. We need everyone to be focused to turn things around and get out of this situation, and we are going to achieve it.

Returning to the starting lineup

It had been a while since I had that feeling of playing well and everything feeling much better with a victory. In general, I’m doing well. The team did a great job and we were all very good. The important thing is that we get out of this, that we put the club where we deserve, and we are going to fight for this.

FC Barcelona

A big game awaits us on Sunday, and from now we will start working on the match. I think we are going to compete well, we will go out there with clear ideas about what we have to do to achieve victory and the team are going to work well this week to have a good game.

FC Barcelona have a lot of players out, but with the squad they have they can make changes and perform at a very high level. It will be a difficult game for us, but we will also make it difficult for them.

The formation

The team adapt to what the coach asks of us in each game. Sunday’s game will be difficult in terms of having the ball because Barcelona always have a lot of possession and peg you back, but we are also comfortable on the counter and when we have the ball we can take advantage too.

The fixture list

All season we have seen that we can compete and we are a great team. We have lacked consistency at times, but now there is going to be a change and we are going to go into all the coming games with the full intention of winning

We have some games to provide consistency for what we have been doing and be able to achieve victories and bring joy to the team and to the fans.

The national team

I have all the excitement in the world. A new squad list from a new coach is coming out soon. The important thing is to perform for your club so that they see you and call you up for the national team. Last year against Elche CF was the game they told me I might be called up and it was a great joy because we had also won the match. Luis de la Fuente and I know each other from youth level and now I hope to have great games with Valencia CF in order to be able to play with the national team.