Baraja: “ The response from the players has been fantastic”

Valencia CF coach Rubén Baraja addressed the media’s questions about an important win at Mestalla, reflecting on the 1-0 triumph over Getafe.

Daring to look upwards

"It's not a question of daring. We had an objective which was to compete game-by-game. That allows us to concentrate our energy on the next game. Getting 40 points at this stage of the season is very difficult to do we have to give it a lot of value. Winning games is difficult, as you have seen today. That is what motivates me: Trying to be competitive in every game, overcoming difficulties... the response of the team after playing against Real Madrid, as always after a huge effort it is difficult to repeat that feeling that we had today. The response from the players has been fantastic. This is what is really motivating me."

Moving closer to survival

"Statistically I couldn't tell you what it means. Last season we stayed up with 42. We are close to the goal set out at the beginning of the season and, above all, it is thanks to the effort and hard work of the players. Also, it is thanks to the support of our fans. Today, at a bad timeslot, with cold temperatures, rain… they were very important. We feel that way and we wanted to repay that by winning and dedicating the victory to Diakhaby. We want that he feels that we fought for him. There were many positive things."

Learning from intense ends to games

Many times it is one action, like today from Giorgi, that has kept us in the game. Not being able to make it 2-0 always leaves the door open for the opposition. Getafe demand a lot from you off dead balls, and that's why I give a lot of value to the clean sheet and to the victory... To win a game, your goalkeeper has to help you, but in the first half we generated chances and we have always had close games with them. This time it went our way. They are a team that demand of you until the end of the game."

An eighth clean sheet

"It is indicative of scoring points, of being in the games, of the team maintaining a combative spirit, of solidarity, of working in games. If you keep a clean sheet you always have the possibility of scoring points. It is one of the reflections of the work and the demands that we set for ourselves. Today Diakhaby was not there and Cenk came in, and the team once again overcame these types of difficulties. It is very valuable for me, they believe in themselves and then it translates into points and results."

Rating the team’s current performance

"In general this season, what I am feeling is that we are all in the same dynamic. There is the inertia of winning, of always being competitive, which helps you in the season and you have to value it. Everything will be evaluated depending on how we finish the season, but we have to maintain this mentality. The architects of us wanting to win, of us pushing... are the players. They are having a fantastic season, which has been above our expectations. They, at times, dream that we have no ceiling. This is something positive. They believe that by working day by day you can go far."

A change of dynamic

"What we e can demand from the team is what we see in each game: For us to be competitive, suffer when we have to suffer, put in the intensity that we put in. We can demand a lot of things. We have to transmit that to the players. We are at a club that historically has to demand more in each game, and that is where the team can grow and improve. The competition puts you where you deserve to be. We always keep our feet on the ground and have the humility of knowing that it is very difficult to win and score points in the Primera División."

Working for the future

"We had to set reasonable objectives. During the year I have been talking about how we were building something beautiful. There are players who are not the same as they were on Matchday 5. This is what fills me with satisfaction: Seeing the team with that evolution, with that improvement. Sometimes we will be more or less effective, we will win or we will lose... we train hard and work to win and that always gives you confidence and security. Doing that again at home helps us a lot and makes us optimistic for the future."

Cenk's performance

"It was a difficult game for him. He had not been participating in the last two or three games. You come in to replace a player who was performing at a good level and today was demanding. There was lateral movement, contact and second balls. He lived up to the expectations of the game. He remained solid. I only remember one action in which he made a bad clearance. He is young, we have to support him and today’s showing can help him feel that he can give a good performance.”

Hugo Duro’s chances of a Spain callup

"He has good numbers, but his work does not always get the reward of a goal. He is very important for the team, and today he was successful in scoring. I always demand more from him, that he doesn’t settle. In football you have to keep going, work hard and insist. The important thing is to feel that through improvement you can become a better player than when you started the season. I hope he gets there, because it would be a sign of his work this season, which has been very good, being appreciated."

Yaremchuk

“He worked hard. He had to keep the centre backs busy and attack the space. It was difficult for us to understand that if we go outside we have to get crosses in. We took an extra touch before crossing in. He worked well, he made an effort to be in there, and his commitment is beyond any doubt. There are many positive things from the game. One of them is that the team repeated a good performance. Winning backs up everything. I always like to talk about the team as a whole, about the players who came on later who gave us energy and intensity too."

Talking about European qualification

"I haven't said it's negative. I'm not going to talk about situations that are hypotheses. I think it's very good that people are excited, that everyone has this hope. We are in a good situation but there is a long way ahead of us this season. We’re going step by step. That means suffering like today, fighting like today. Knowing how to play like we played today. If you demonstrate in an entire season that you deserve to be at the top, then logically it is something that you will have earned, but there is a lot of the campaign left. We have to be able to finish the season well, and reaching 40 points always brings you closer to this peace of mind that helps all of the players grow."