"Our goal is the Champions League now, it's a very nice pressure"

Girona coach Michel Sanchez stressed after Saturday's 3-0 win over Rayo Vallecano at Montilivi that their "objective is the Champions League now" and said that "returning to being the best team in La Liga in terms of goals" makes them "happy".

Míchel admitted that the win, after three games without a win, gives the squad peace of mind. "Fighting to make it to the Champions League is a very nice pressure and we all want it. But we are in a beautiful moment and we have to enjoy it and value it," he added.

"The pressure is good, but we can't lose that dynamic of a joyful team in the game or have that feeling of heaviness in our legs when we face matches that are going to mark where we are going to go," added the Madrid coach.

"The match, which was very tough, was more even than the result. But it was a deserved victory, as the clear chances were ours," he said.

Michel was "satisfied" with his players and commented that he will be "more satisfied with the defensive side than the offensive", because Girona were "very good" in the pressing and knew how to avoid the rival transitions and Rayo didn't have chances to score. On the offensive side there was a lack of "calm and tranquillity" and a lack of "depth" and "continuity".

In this sense, he argued that the team was rushed and committed "too many losses by being too vertical", because after three games without a win they wanted to generate too much too quickly.

"I don't want to single out anyone because the whole group has a good mentality. Some make the others better and the whole team is in good shape," said Míchel, who acknowledged, however, that Miguel Gutierrez vindicated himself after his mistakes in the defeat at San Mames and that Venezuelan Yangel Herrera completed "a great game" and was "the best" player of the match.

 

February 27, 2024