Samu Costa, Antonio Raillo, Martin Valjent, Antonio Sanchez and Martin Demichelis spoke to the media after our 2-1 win against RCD Espanyol. Find out what the players and boss had to say below:
Samu Costa:
On the win: It’s a massive win. Everyone showed great spirit, believing right until the end. The welcome before the match was incredible; this win is for the fans.
On the goal: It’s amazing to see everyone celebrating and so happy. We really deserve it; we’ve worked so hard this week. I’m really pleased to have contributed with the goal, but Omar’s pass was brilliant – I’ll buy him dinner or something; I’m absolutely delighted.
Raíllo and Valjent:
On the victory (Raíllo): We needed a game like this, a hard-fought match. This is a relief and a joy at the same time.
On the reception (Valjent): The fans have really stepped up to an incredible level. We’ve tried to rise to the occasion in the match and I think, at least in terms of the result, we’ve managed it. This is the path to achieving our goal this season.
On the final minutes (Raíllo): These are decisions the manager makes and, in the end, we just focus on playing and doing our best. If he’s brave and wants to go for it, we’ll certainly back him up.
On Martín Demichelis (Valjent): I think you can already see certain things on the pitch. With the ball, the team is gradually improving. There’s a lot of work ahead, but today’s victory, the feeling and the unity reinforce all of this a bit. We’ve got 10 more crucial matches ahead of us.
Antonio Sánchez:
On the win: We’re absolutely delighted. I think the change has been evident. We were really keen to secure this win, and even though we fell behind today, we managed to turn it around.
On the momentum: It’s clear that today’s victory is absolutely vital, but we must savour it and, from tomorrow, start thinking about the Elche match, which could mark a turning point.
On 200 matches: Having a legend present me with the award is a source of pride for me. I’ve received so much affection over the last few days and, honestly, it’s a dream come true and it still is. Hopefully there will be many more.
Martín Demichelis:
On the victory: It’s a victory for everyone. Given how badly we needed the three points and the welcome from the fans in the run-up to the match, we’re incredibly grateful. We went into half-time trailing, but the lads gave it their all on the pitch. I’m very happy; when you train well, you get closer to victory, and today we achieved it.
On the best thing about the victory: We can’t ignore the maths. The three points give us confidence and joy. The other day we missed the chance to get out of the relegation zone, but being able to get closer to what we want fills me with happiness. Today we dominated possession in the opposition’s half again and were well-organised. I’m pleased in many respects.
On the next match: The Elche game is a final; they’re a direct rival. So let’s use it to gain a lot of energy without letting our guard down.
