Sampaoli: "This Europa League is tougher because teams from the Champions League finals play"

   MADRID, 15 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Sevilla FC coach, Jorge Sampaoli, acknowledged this Wednesday that this edition of the Europa League is "tougher and more exciting" because it is played by "teams from the Champions League finals", in reference to FC Barcelona, ​​Arsenal or Manchester United, at the same time time that he warned that the team "needs" that they put "the heart" to achieve its "consolidation" in the midst of "instability".

"I don't know what our ceiling is. In the instability in which we navigate, we have to achieve consolidation and then see where we are going. We have not yet achieved that consolidation to know what kind of aspirations we can have in this competition", admitted the coach in the preview of the first leg of the round prior to the round of 16 of the Europa League against PSV this Thursday (9:00 p.m.).

Sampaoli praised his rival, a team "extremely prepared to play in Europe, including the Champions League", with "great footballers". "They hit a lot in transitions, they press from the beginning, we must have a clear start. Their center forward (Luuk de Jong, formerly of Sevilla) is absolute, they can score at any time, they have many proper names", he highlighted.

"By teams, it is the most complicated Europa League in recent years. Barça, United, Arsenal, not to mention... They are teams from the Champions League finals, they make the tournament tougher and more exciting, they are superlative teams in their leagues , like PSV, which had a behavior as a club that allows institutional growth to be highly competitive", he argued about the level of the 'little sister' of the Champions League.

With the crucial game to confirm his good moment in the League this Sunday against Rayo (16.15) in Vallecas, Sampaoli denied that they are going to leave "with the reserve" in Europe. "We will come out with realities. We need to win tomorrow and on Sunday, they are two defining games, because of how the club and the shield are doing. Thinking of giving more importance to something other than LaLiga is unreal," he assured.

"We must also think about Sunday's game, we also have the obligation to score. You have to play with people who are one hundred percent, beyond the good game against Mallorca. Winning on Sunday would settle us in the table," he recalled. "We cannot separate one game from another, we will try to put the best team tomorrow and the best on Sunday, perhaps some players cannot repeat due to the proximity of both games," said Sampaoli who dropped that there will be rotations.

Thus, he hopes that Youssef En-Nesyri will continue to "give a lot" to the team, as in recent games, at the same time that he confirmed that the team will need Rafa Mir, like the entire squad, in these weeks with two games. In addition, he advanced that Alex Telles evolves "quite well". "Emotionally it would be good for him to participate in the call, to be ready for Sunday or next Thursday," he added.

"We have little variability in the central defenders, but we have to live in that reality throughout the year. Relapses, absences, discontinuities... Navas shouldn't have played, but we need everything. The club needs us to put our hearts in," he asked. .

For his part, the team captain, Jesús Navas, was "very eager and excited" to face a competition that "has given them much joy". "We have very clear ideas. I'm sure that with the support of the fans we will have a great match. We want the fans to enjoy, we are capable of having a great match," he reiterated.

"The desire is paramount, I love this profession, I love football and I want to help the team at all times. We have to go step by step, with humility and maximum intensity in each game. There is a long way to go, that is what is important", commented the full-back, who urged his teammates to "be intelligent and work well in the game".

"Luuk de Jong gave us many things, they competed great in the last title. We have to be attentive and focused, he has a great passing game. He has given us a lot, it will be very special for him to return. He is a great person, we have him lots of love", he said about the Dutch striker, formerly of the Andalusian club.