Luis Rioja spoke to VCF Media following the loss to Real Madrid, in which he hit the post with the final kick of the game. 

The late chance

I think it was two centimetres short. It didn't want to go in. We are in this dynamic now, as I have said before, in which you collapse against yourself. It seemed that today was the game in which everything was going to go in our favour, because we had a penalty that hit the post, an offside by a millimetre, and actions that other times have been going against us.

Today they were going in our favour and in the end two specific actions turned a game around for a side with one less player, which is very painful. In that play at the end we could have rescued a point, and it would have given us a point against a top team.. But anyway, I think that taking it to Real Madrid until the last minute says a lot about how far this team have come.

The improvement by the team

Valencia are a very big club and will stay in the Primera División. I'm sure of it. This is the line we have to follow, we have to continue like this. If we compete like this we will win many games. We have had a very big team on the ropes. The team are eager and want to get out of the relegation zone, and we will achieve it.

The support of Mestalla

When Mestalla is this vibrant, it pushes us and motivates us. Today we can hardly blame the team for anything, beyond the errors at specific moments, but the work, sacrifice and unity that the team have shown give reason to believe.

Tactical variations

It was a 4-4-2 when we went out to press high, and when they advanced I went into a line of 5, with Almeida playing as a winger in a 5-4-1 to try to help on the wing and not allow one-on-one situations. It is a big effort, because you have to change sectors at a high pace, but I felt comfortable. Despite the result, the tactical variation worked for us, it is something that the coach asked for and you have to do it with maximum desire.

A midweek match

Now it's time for the Copa del Rey, which is a nice competition and Valencia CF are a cup club. It may not seem like it, but if you win two games you are in the fight. Now it's time to go through in the cup and then think about LaLiga. We have to compete like today to try to get through.