Javier Aguirre shared his thoughts with the media after our 2-1 defeat at FC Barcelona. Memphis Depay and Sergio Busquests scored either of half-time, and while Antonio Raíllo managed to pull a goal back late on, we were unable to get back into the match. Find out what the boss had to say below:
On the match…
"We are an honest team that works. We tried to improve our shortcomings based on that. We didn't believe that we could do it. In the last few minutes we had the ball when what was demanded was the ball in the box. They were superior and I congratulate them.
"It's difficult to take the ball away from Barcelona. We knew we were going to have some chances, one of them we scored, another one Fer Niño didn't... it's made all the more difficult when you give Barça three, four or five chances, but I'm very optimistic.
"I see that there are different moments for different players. In five matches we have played up to 20-21 players. Almost all of them have played with the exception of Manolo Reina."
On what's to come…
"Next week is a final and we hope to take advantage of the fact that we are playing at home.
"I've been optimistic since Mallorca called me, when there were nine games left. We had six defeats in a row, and then we lost in Getafe and everything was complicated. There are four games left, and we've already had five together and I'm optimistic. As Luis Aragonés used to say: ‘this will be decided in the last ten matches’. It won't be decided until the last minute of the league. We are all fighting.”
