Corberán: "The fans want to see commitment and dedication, and that is down to us”

Carlos Corberán talked to the media on Friday ahead of the LALIGA EA SPORTS Matchday 10 fixture against Villarreal CF. The regional derby takes place this Saturday at Mestalla.

Players out of the squad

The same squad that was available against Deportivo Alavés will be available against Villarreal CF, with no further absentees or players back in.

Villarreal CF going four games without a win

The magnitude of the opponents they haven't managed to beat speaks to the level of the team. They're a team immersed in the Champions League, and we know the high demands of tomorrow's match; they have a great squad.

Javi Guerra, Danjuma, and Raba’s history at Villarreal CF

The ultimate motivation for a Valencia CF player is to play in front of their home fans and represent the more than 40,000 supporters who will be getting behind us like they always do. There can't be a greater motivation than the present.

The emotion of a regional derby

I see it as a match played at Mestalla, and that energises you. You're playing in front of your fans, and you have to give them your best. We know that when we give them our best at Mestalla, they give us back twice as much, and that's the best thing about this fixture.

The team’s competitive edge

I don't feel like the team have lost their competitive edge. We have to play better, be more competitive in attack, and improve in defence. We demand it of ourselves, because we know that if the team maintain the mentality we showed in Vitoria, with effort and dedication, and we add to that an improvement in our play, we'll compete better.

Considering changing formation

I don't think formations change much. Formations can help you adjust to what's happening. That adjustment can be down to your formation and what the opponents do. We try to have options to evolve, according to the game and what might happen. That helps you be more competitive.

What can be done to improve

The data from Vitoria reaffirms that the mentality was good, but we have to improve our play. We have to play better. We have some negative numbers, and we're convinced that by improving certain aspects of our play, we'll be closer to achieving better results.

Communication with Ron Gourlay and Corona

I keep things private. I have absolute independence to do what I believe is necessary to achieve the best performance from the team, and when that doesn't happen, I take primary responsibility.

Needing to improve on set pieces

There are two actions against Alavés in which they created danger. The last one was a ball in, where they overloaded the near post, broke through to the far post alone, and managed to eliminate the entire defence from the equation. The other was a free kick much higher up, where they put two players into a shooting position, the line dropped, and they managed to get a shot. When a team shoot, you have to have the response from the goalkeeper, who was at his best and ensured we didn't concede a single goal from set pieces. We have to increase our effectiveness from set pieces, and we're working toward that. Not conceding goals doesn't mean we're going to stop working on something as important as set pieces. We're working with the intention of doing better.

Ugrinic and Foulquier

I think it is my job pass on the information. In Foulquier's case, in the week before the game against Girona, after we played Real Oviedo, and he began to notice something was not normal in his knee and he wasn't feeling fit enough to play. The player insisted on helping the team to see if he could play. However, his feeling didn't improve, so he didn't play against Girona. Tests were done, treatment was prescribed, and we are in the treatment phase. We understand that in the next two or three weeks he will be better enough to help the group.

Regarding Ugrinic, he's a player who came to the team after completing preseason training -because the season starts earlier in Switzerland. Upon arriving here, in the second week, he began to notice mild discomfort in his knee and began treatment. This discomfort is temporary, not something continuous or permanent. The player isn't fit to play at 100%, because there are times when it affects him and he experiences more pain than others. That pain worsened before the Girona game, and since then, he hasn't been ready to compete. He's in a new phase of treatment, and we understand he'll soon be back with the group and be able to train and play. When you have injuries in the squad, you have to focus on getting the most out of the players you have.

Returning to Mestalla

We haven't forgotten the game against Real Oviedo. We always want the feeling at Mestalla to be the best it can be. For me, for the squad, and for everyone, it's a source of pride to represent the fans. There's no worry or lack of worry. It all starts with us, with our fans. The more you give, the more you receive back. It all starts with us. The fans want to see their team win, and so do we. The fans want to see commitment and dedication, and that is down to us; we have to give our all. If we don't achieve that, we end games feeling hurt.

The difference in results compared to last year

I always think results are a consequence of how we play, and we haven't been at our best so far. This is elite football, and you can’t only prepare for the good moments. In elite football, there are both good moments and bad moments. There are times when we achieve what we want, and times when we don't, and we have to be prepared for anything. We've had a lot of changes in the squad; the team have to adapt, and sometimes that happens immediately, and sometimes it's harder to find harmony and good play. Our responsibility is to get the best version of the team, one that works in attack and defence. The staff and players work to achieve that. That progression is part of football. We mustn't give up or stop giving our all in the pursuit of good play and results. That's our absolute commitment. Only by feeling responsible are you capable of doing that.

Finding a solution for the midfield

The players from last season have changed this season; we have to create good play with the players we have here. Individual improvement from everyone generates collective improvement, and that can improve each player. We're immersed in that process.

Copete’s condition

He couldn't train yesterday, but in the 24 hours between yesterday and today, there has been a huge improvement, and he's available for tomorrow.

Being a benchmark for Valencia CF at a competitive level

In football, you have to find a balance between competitiveness and attractive play. When there isn't as much good play, the mental and intensity aspects keep you in the games. And that's a summary of the game we're coming off. When you dominate the opposition, the amount of fight becomes less important, because the play allows you to compensate. Every squad and every club is unique. We look at ourselves and the goal is to achieve our best level. We haven't always seen that, but it inspires a spirit of improvement and it has to make us better.

Gayà returning to Mestalla

He's eager to compete tomorrow and help the team; he has that at Mestalla and he has that away from home. I don't question what he represents or what kind og a captain he is. When the results are what they are, it's part of our job to be able to change them.

An opportunity to compete and improve as a team

Every game is unique. The things we experienced against Alavés are different from tomorrow's match, but there are always common elements of learning and experience that we as a group must analyse and incorporate. That's why we spend time with the squad looking at how to improve. When you don't have as many games accumulated, you can prepare in more detail, but training and competition also help.

Villarreal CF not having beaten Valencia CF since 2017

In football, we can't look at the past; we focus on the present. They're competing in three competitions with a great squad. We focus on that demand. We're all working to be the best Valencia CF we can be, with the hope of showing that we're a great Valencia CF side.

The schedule with the next three matches 

To be completely honest, it gives us motivation. In elite football, you play against great teams, and we try to do our best. Anyone who isn't motivated by big matches can't cope with the demands, and elite football and high-level matches are all about that.