“From what little I saw, there may have been a foul in the build-up. Two very tight offside calls went against us.” That was referee Álvaro Arbeloa’s verdict at El Sadar, though it was not enough to calm the mood: “We lacked speed. Against any low block, you have to move the ball more quickly. We need to be able to get past defenders on both flanks. We focused heavily on the left wing, which is normal, but that makes us easier to defend against.”
Why did you substitute Valverde?
He has been putting in a huge amount of effort, playing many games in a row, and he has been dealing with discomfort for the past few weeks. I preferred not to risk Fede. It was about avoiding unnecessary chances in case he picked up an injury.
Do you think the 2-1 goal was legal? And the penalty?
From what little I saw, there may have been a foul in the previous phase. Two very tight offside decisions went against us. We did not play well; we need to perform much better and with greater intensity. It is not easy to maintain that level from Wednesday to Sunday, but that is what is demanded of us. This is Real Madrid. I knew the expectations were high, and I was not wrong.
You look shaken, which is normal. What happened in the first half?
I am not hurt. Nobody likes to lose, least of all us. It is going to be a long season. I said it had not even properly started yet, and I still believe that. We controlled the first half but lacked speed. Against a deep defensive block, we need to circulate the ball more quickly and create danger on both flanks. We focused heavily on the left wing, which is understandable, but that makes us easier to defend. We have another match on Wednesday and must approach it in the best possible way.
What is the solution? You mentioned a lack of speed.
I did not say we were too slow, but that we needed to move the ball faster and create more danger. It is about having a clear idea of what we want to do and what we want to provoke. We have to keep working, analyse what we did well on Tuesday and what we failed to do today. There are many matches left. We have plenty of room for improvement. If you are not at 100 per cent, anyone can beat you. Our opponents prepare thoroughly for their games.
It has been a month and a half, but the same issues keep appearing. You mention intensity. What is stopping the team from producing two solid performances within three days?
I have always said we must match the intensity of our opponents. I do not know whether I am explaining it differently or not expressing myself clearly. It is true that we have not managed to build momentum, even though we were coming off three good wins. But this is a day-by-day process. We cannot dwell on the fourth match of the season. That is what we are working towards.
Mbappé seems to be playing at half speed, yet he still completes 90 minutes. Why?
He rested last weekend and did not play against Real Sociedad, which is no small opponent. When we feel he is not fully fit, we will not take risks. It is not a decision I make alone; I discuss it with the doctors. He felt ready to play and, as I said, he did not feature against Real Sociedad.
What could this defeat mean?
I hope it doesn’t mean anything, because in four days we are fighting for our lives again. A team shows its strength in adversity. What we cannot allow is doubt to creep in. I believe in my team. We need to sustain our level over time. We will keep working, pushing ourselves and getting the best out of every player, because we need them all.