Imanol: “If we speculate in San Siro, we will surely lose”

“If we speculate at San Siro, we will surely lose.” This is the declaration of intent of Imanol Alguacil, the Real Sociedad coach for the decisive match at the Giuseppe Meazza against the Inter of Milan, with first place in group D in the Champions League at stake. The draw is worth it to the San Sebastián team, but the coach from Oriola does not want to know anything about going out and speculating. “We are going to go out and win. Because the objective is to compete, that is what we have done so far without setting any goals, and that is what has led us to fight with the Champions League finalist for first place. So our little Real for many, which for me is big, is going to go out and compete against a team as important as Inter at home.”

Coach blue and white He did not want to reveal whether Zubeldia will finally be able to play at the Giuseppe Meazza, but he has not ruled it out either. “Today Zubeldia doesn’t even know it, we have to wait, these players change a lot in 24 hours, today he is uncomfortable and he is not even going to train, But we have brought him, because if tomorrow he wakes up better and is fine as the hours go by, we will evaluate him and see what we do.”

There are those who say that due to their history in the Champions League, it is Inter Milan that has the most pressure, but Imanol Alguacil does not think the same. “We also have pressure because we want to win, they will have their pressure because it is a Champions team that reached the final last year, but we are here on our own merits where we are, playing for first place, we want to win, we want to compete to win ”. And the Real coach knows the power of his rival, but he focuses on the strength of his team. “If we start talking about Inter players, it’s better not to go out and compete. It is a great team, with a top coach, but we were able to compete with that team in the first round and we are the only ones who have made them suffer, let’s see if we repeat it in this incredible scenario, the two teams are not going to have doubts about how to face it.”

Imanol does not believe that first round match at the Reale Arena is a reference to predict where the San Siro match will go. “It’s going to be totally different because, although the players are different and no two games are ever the same. Because Encina would play in his field and that makes the context nothing like the same. “I have very good players, like Inter, and that day we were very inspired.” What Real will not have is fear, even though they will play in a coliseum with more than 70,000 fans in the stands. “No fear, Inter will be supported by their fans as always, that means that they give importance to Real, who wouldn’t say that? But fear, no, yes, a lot of respect for his team and his history. We have a lot of humility, but also a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of ambition,” she says.