Corberán: “Valencia CF have to have the mentality to progress in the Copa del Rey”

Valencia CF coach Carlos Corberán gave a press conference ahead of the Copa del Rey game against Burgos CF.

Players out for the game

Thierry, Diakhaby, and Julen are injured, and Raba has some Achilles tendon discomfort and a calf strain, making him doubtful for tomorrow's game.

The packed fixture list

Sometimes opinions can sound like excuses. That’s not the case. We're going to focus on competing tomorrow, but some fixture dates are difficult to understand due to the time between them. We're playing the first game on Sunday, and playing with less than 72 hours to recover isn't ideal for the following match.

The possible arrival of a centre back

The situation hasn't changed; it's an urgent situation due to Diakhaby's injury, and we're waiting for a signing to be finalised.

Potential departures

As of today, we have one open spot in the squad that we can fill, and the other is that occupied by Diakhaby. We've started the paperwork to unregister him because, unfortunately, he won't be available to help us. There are still other open spots.

Goalscoring efficiency of his strikers

I think that when you analyse a match, it's important to look at the volume of chances created and goals scored. We had 11 approaches, which is an important statistic, and in terms of scoring opportunities, they had one approach and scored in the second half. We did a lot and created danger, and the opposition didn't hurt us much. That's the way to go. It's important to create a high volume of chances and minimise the opponent's threats.

The objective in the Copa del Rey

When we talk about the demands of Valencia CF, we're talking about the demands of LaLiga and representing the club in the best possible way in any competition. We're going to Burgos with the hope of reaching the next round.

The goalkeeper position

For tomorrow, regardless of which goalkeeper plays, I have complete confidence in both of them, and both can contribute.

Analysis of the situation

We're eager to continue in the competition, to represent Valencia CF in the best way possible. Burgos eliminated Getafe CF, and if we look at yesterday's matches, we can see how difficult this competition is. We have the utmost respect for the competition and our opponents. We're preparing for this game like we would for a LaLiga game. They're very organised defensively, very solid, it's difficult to create chances against them, and we're really excited about the possibility of reaching the next round. Our goal is to reach the quarterfinals. That's my desire, my dream, and the responsibility we have.

Signing players who will be starters

More than the budget, I focus on the needs, the profile and the positions. The important thing is that they have quality, commitment, and personality, with a desire to contribute and help this great club turn around the situation we're in.

Why a centre back hasn’t arrived yet

I focus on preparing for games; I don't handle the details of the transfer market. From the outside, I can tell you that there's an interested party, another club that have the player, and a player. Until all three parties agree, nothing is finalised. I know the club are working on it because we need to bring in a centre back.

Other positions he would like to strengthen

In a transfer market where we're in competition with other clubs, that kind of information shouldn't be made public; it will be revealed during the transfer window. We're focused on competing. The club continue working on those signings -in the plural- that I've mentioned.

Gayà and César Tárrega

They're carrying knocks, so we're managing their workload so they'll be available. Gayà won't start tomorrow's game, but the rest of the squad is fine.

The dressing room atmosphere after the match against Elche CF

Having not achieved the victory we wanted in that game, we are even more eager to get one in the next LALIGA match. Now we are focused on tomorrow's game and hope to also get a victory against Getafe CF.

The team’s current form

Valencia CF fans want to see the team winning games. The coach is giving his all, his heart and soul, and feeling the pain of seeing the team where I never want to see this club. We are all responsible for turning the situation around.

The role he plays in the sporting structure

I think most coaches play a similar role. We do parallel work, monitoring the situation, and there is continuous communication to identify the team's needs. We might talk more about player profiles, whether we should consider a player to play on the left or right, for example… These profiles are discussed and debated. That's what I normally do. Wearing the Valencia CF shirt should be an honour for anyone; you have to be aware of the greatness of this club.

Analysis of the opponents

They have a very high level of defensive organisation. In terms of their defensive structure, they have a very clear 4-4-2 formation. They break that structure by pressing high up the pitch, with freedom in attack, building with three at the back… They are a very complete side who try to dominate play.

Penalty practice

They are something that are practiced regularly in training. It's impossible to replicate what happens in a match in training. The personality and grit that Pepelu showed in the last match can't be trained. It's personality, character, and fighting spirit. That couldn't be trained, and it makes me proud.

Prioritising LaLiga or competing in the Copa del Rey

Valencia CF have to go into tomorrow's match with the mentality of getting through to the next round.