José Luis Martí, who was unable to sit on the bench due to suspension (his second, Fabián Rivero, did instead), sent two messages yesterday after Sporting’s draw at the latter’s ground, Alcorcón. A self-critical one, “I am not satisfied with just remaining in the Second Division”, and another with his mind set on the Asturian derby that takes place in El Molinón next Saturday: “these games have to be won”. These were his words after the game in Alcorcón.
Bitter feeling. “It is the game that leaves me most upset. It was the game in which it cost us the most. I don’t know if we have been influenced by any circumstance. We have been very slow, when we have made five passes an opportunity has come, as the goal happened in the second. To win a match you have to make more chances”.
self-critical message. “We are here to add three by three, we started the game in the worst way, conceding a goal in the first minute, and we have many things to correct. But the one who must give wickers to the players is me. The responsibility is mine. I have to find solutions.”
Ambitious message. “ I refuse to think about that goal (not relegation). I want to go as far as possible. If I can be 10, then 10. If it can be 8, 8. I’m not satisfied with maintaining the category, I want to fight for it and we must focus on the next game and it will be easier because of what the derby is ”.
Did the team play relaxed? “I don’t think the result of Real B had an influence, I don’t think the players knew about it. We are here to add three by three, we started the game in the worst way conceding a goal in the first minute and we have many things to correct. We were happy and today (yesterday) we started like this”.
How to prepare a derby? “You have to say little, they will perceive it. I have not been lucky enough to experience it here, but in Seville. The city is going to be in charge of the day-to-day life of the footballer of transmitting how the derby is lived and felt. We can’t get super excited because it can backfire.”
What would it mean to win against Oviedo? “For me every victory is the host, three points in football are the host. And more if it turns out that they are points that represent something for a club, city and fans, as it is in this case. For what Sporting represents, seeing all the people in the city, one is impregnated with how football is lived in Gijón. We have to generate that environment and we have to hook people with our party. Games like the ones we are going to experience this weekend are games to win, with a lot of tension during the week”.
emotional management. “The one who knows best to control himself will take it. Nor can we go over motivations. The points are three that we need, but beating a direct rival, a rival like the one in the derby, is going to be important for us. We have to train the week and we have to soak up what is lived in this city and we know the importance of the three points, but also the joy of winning for the fans in a difficult year. It would also be a joy for the players.”
Borja: “We will play the derby with great enthusiasm”
Sporting’s dressing room was disappointed with the point harvested in Alcorcón. “We came for the three points and the feeling is bitter,” said Borja López. The central defender from Gijón recognized that “we did not enter the game well”. Borja believes that the team “was able to tie in the first half” and that “it improved in the second half”.
The defender from Gijón announced that Sporting will play the derby “with a lot of desire and concentration”, conditions that he points out are essential to win in a match where “classification doesn’t matter”.
On the other hand, Víctor Campuzano, scorer of the goal, commented that he is satisfied with the goal, his first at Sporting. “It’s a joy”, although he clarified that he does not leave “happy” with the draw. “Since my arrival I have not had continuity for different reasons, I had to wait. I’ve had a tough year and I’ve tried to take advantage of the opportunity”, said the striker.
