Corberán: "The squad have a lot of desire to compete at Mestalla"

In his first press conference of the 2026/27 LaLiga season Valencia CF coach Carlos Corberán previewed Saturday's game against RC Celta de Vigo.

Potential departures

Unless the club tell me otherwise, any player currently training with us is a Valencia CF player and is available to play. Rioja and Foulquier are the two players who are not currently available, due to injury.

Being a spokesperson for the club

I don't consider myself the spokesperson; I consider myself the Valencia CF coach, and the coach is available to journalists before every game to answer any questions you may have with complete honesty.

The transfer market

The Valencia CF squad is still incomplete. The club need to bring in players to fill the needs we have. The squad we have is very eager, which gives me a lot of peace of mind because they want to maintain the momentum from the end of last season. They have maturity, seriousness, and commitment, and that's important because I think the squad is ready for tomorrow's match.

Dani Raba

He's part of the squad, and we're focused on him contributing his best level of performance to help the team.

The need to improve

Coming off a season where we didn't get the points total we all wanted -because we all want more-, we need to reflect deeply on how to improve. Holidays are relative. You change where you work because you don't have a match upcoming. But we've been working to improve and correct our mistakes. Almost everyone at Valencia CF has had to do this from our own area of responsibility. I will never shirk my responsibility. Last season ended worse than it started, and we underperformed in the first half of the season. We must adjust and improve things this season.

The aim for the season

Internally, when the president was with us he spoke about how the team have to improve every year. We all have to share that goal: from the staff and the players to the club itself. If we want to improve on last season, we all have to take another step forward. Mixing actions and words is difficult. The most important thing in football is results. The fans want results. Words without action to back them up are irritating to people. We have to improve on last season, and we must take steps to achieve that. Objectives are one thing, and aspirations are another. The objective is to improve, but the level of aspiration is at its fullest. The coach has the highest aspirations. I want to coach Valencia CF in Europe, and I want to win a trophy here. But aspirations are one thing, and objectives are another -and you need actions to achieve them.

His contract renewal

We all have to demand a lot from ourselves, starting with me. There's a difference between making mistakes and not giving our best. We all have to share that level of demand. I've always felt the trust the club have placed in me, from day one, and I'm going to repay that trust with responsibility and enthusiasm, giving my all to get Valencia CF back to where I believe the club belong. This coach is going to dedicate himself wholeheartedly to that. Believe me, I'm going to give my all to help get Valencia CF back to where we all want the club to be.

RC Celta de Vigo

Claudio Giráldez has demonstrated his ability as a coach; this Celta Vigo team have consistently achieved a high position for the past two years. They don't give you the ball; they control possession. To win it back, you have to pressure them. When you pressure them, they react very well. You have to be aware of this and not get frustrated in your attempts to win the ball back. They are a very attacking team, and we must demonstrate our offensive, defensive, and pressing capabilities. We want to give Mestalla something to be happy about.

The will to do better

The squad is still incomplete. We need to make the effort to improve and have the best possible Valencia CF side. We have to look inward to improve so that the club we work for can benefit. Everyone in every area must take another step forward: staff, players, and the club. We all need to take a step up to improve.

Promises for signings

The club haven't promised me anything. It's a demand we all share, the demand to make Valencia CF the best we can be, and from today onwards, to be the best Valencia CF possible every time we step onto the pitch.

Ryunosuke Sato

Sato is a player we're very happy with. One of his best qualities is his versatility. Good players, no matter where they play, are able to show how good they are. He's played as a number 10, on the left, on the right, even as a winger. I like his helpful mentality, his willingness to adapt to the team's needs. Having that mentality makes us better. I'm very pleased with his performance. Tomorrow a new chapter begins in LaLiga, and I'm very happy to have him here.

The right back position

If you were to ask me what the ideal situation is, it's having players in each position who offer different possibilities. Players who can play as centrebacks in a back three, or players with great stamina who can play as wing-backs. Versatility is essential in football, both offensively and defensively. It can be a huge help in demonstrating identity and competitive ability. Having several different player profiles increases a team's tactical depth.

Signing more players

When I say the squad is still incomplete, it's because there's still work being done; the club are fully immersed in providing the team with the best possible tools.

Pablo Maffeo

We don't know if he'll feature tomorrow, but we understand he'll be ready in time. He had medical tests yesterday, today he had his first session with the group, an activation session, and if his medical clearance comes through, he'll be included in the squad.

Getting fan support

It's our wish. I want the people who believe in me to continue to believe, and those who have doubts, to change them and convince them with actions. That's the demand that comes with being at Valencia CF. I'm never at odds with the demands of Valencia CF. I like them and I understand them.