[El País] You are now 12 points behind leaders Barcelona. They have a great rhythm but at the 2/3 stage it is still a huge loss. How can you explain such a difference in points?
It’s easy. They had more continuity than we did.
[SER] Do you consider the league lost? And can you explain the changes? Ultimately, they had no effect.
As I say: we have a bigger gap than before the game and it’s even harder, but that doesn’t mean we’re not thinking about playing more league matches. We’re going to play them to the max like we’ve been doing so far. Changes… I don’t think the setting has changed. Only personal characteristics changed. The first two subs: Nacho for Mendy because Nacho had a yellow card, and Rodrygo for Kroos to add attacking ability. Then I brought in three midfielders to bring in more energy: Asensio, Tchouaméni and Ceballos. Nothing new. The changes gave the team a boost because from the 70th minute we tried everything. We had chances, we played fast, we scored… The game was won.
[Radio Nacional] You say that the changes gave impetus. Do you regret not doing them sooner?
Changing in the 45th minute after a very good first half seems to me absurd. I changed from the 60th minute to add an offensive impulse to the team.
[OkDiario] How does the dressing room feel after seeing this win, but then VAR stepped in and you ended up losing the match and probably the league?
We’re sad and it hurts, but we’re also proud of the team and the game we played. Our concern is to keep playing games like this because if we keep playing like this until the end of the season we will win something. That’s for sure.
[Onda Cero] I want to stay with the changes. Rodrygo and Mendy came on in the 61st minute. Mendy, because Nacho had a card. After these, however, you waited 15 minutes with subsequent changes when the team seemed to need physical power. When you made these three changes, your face changed. You had chances, a goal canceled and you looked different. Why didn’t you change before?
Because making 5 substitutions in the 60th minute seems strange to me. So you make those two changes to be more offensive… I changed in the 75th minute?
So.
And when was I supposed to change? In the 70s? I don’t know… The last three changes I made to energize. As I say, it was a complete match from the first to the last minute. We did not win. Why? Because… [7 sekund zastanawiania się] He was offside, about which we still have doubts. He’s not sure. It’s not 100%. We have doubts and we return to Madrid with doubts.
[COPE] This is the third defeat against Barcelona this season. Can he bring doubt to the locker room at the end of the season?
NO. As I say… We had doubts after the Super Cup match, which was not good at all. Today we cannot have any doubts after such a match. We played on difficult terrain against a difficult opponent and we played very well. Sometimes a game like this gives you a result and today we didn’t deserve to lose. Honestly.
[El Mundo] You say you come back with doubts about the offside analysis. What are your thoughts on the VAR system? You’ve been in football for many years. What do you think about these lines and the situation with their proximity? This goal or this decision in practice decides the league…
I don’t know… I really don’t know… I’m sure the offsides were quite clear, especially at the World Cup with the semi-automatic. Everything looked very clear there. I remain with this doubt, but it doesn’t change much either. The game is lost and I am left with this doubt. Was it burnt? I don’t know. I’m not sure. If VAR is sure, great, good.
[The Athletic] You said in the first question that compared to Barcelona you lacked continuity. Why?
No, I didn’t say that.
You said they had more continuity than you.
Who is Kim?
About Barcelona.
Did I say that here? [zwraca się do oficera] did I say that?
In the season…
Oh, in season! Yes, sure, sure. [śmiech] Yes it’s true.
What are the reasons for this situation? Does it cost you to get involved in the league?
As I said, January cost us a lot, because after the World Cup it took us a long time to find a good form and get to the current form. We are doing very well now and I think we will end the season in a very good way.
[Radio MARCA] You said before the game that you have losses in the league and the Copa del Rey and an equal situation in the Champions League. With the added loss in the league on your priority list, does the league fall to third place?
The list of priorities is good preparation for matches. I believe that only good preparation for the remaining games can allow us to finish the season well. At the same time, I leave this match very proud of the team, because I am sure that the match was very good, the changes were very good, the coach made very good changes [uśmiech], the substitutes gave the team an impetus and we will fight until the end in all competitions. With a lot, a lot, a lot of confidence.
[AS] So you still believe that with 12 points behind you can still win La Liga?
We will definitely fight.
[Periodico de España] Vinicius played a very good first half, but at some point he disconnected. However, you had a conversation and he returned to the match, taking on the team’s attack. How do you rate his match?
Looking at the quality of Araújo, I think Vinicius played a great game today. Suitable for Araújo quality. He played very well, attacked many times, won duels. His match was the same as always, i.e. on top.
