Alemany: "We have to put tiredness to one side and we can't slip up from now on"

Following Valencia CF's 3-2 defeat at the Wanda Metropolitano, the club's Director General, Mateu Alemany, spoke to Spanish TV channel beIN LaLiga.

"It's hard to score two goals against Atletico Madrid here, but it's also difficult to score three goals against Valencia CF. It hadn't happened all season, so it's like-for-like. They were very accurate and scored three great goals," he explained in his post-match interview.

"I wasn't surprised by Atletico Madrid's attitude, as they are within their rights to come out with the utmost ambition. That's what the competition requires.

"The team looked good. I think we ended the game in good shape physically and held up well throughout the entire game. They started strong, then we levelled the game. For them it was perfect to go ahead at the start of the second half and then hold back. Even so, we regrouped and pressed them again. It was a game of many phases and an even contest, defined by who took their chances better and by an unusual goal."

Despite the setback, Alemany does not see the team losing focus or energy before reaching the end of the season.

"Of the five remaining games we had, this one was the most difficult and the one that we had the most chance of losing. We can't slip up from now on. We have to have the utmost focus, both in the Europa League and in LaLiga.

"The players know how important things are now. We're in the final stage of the season and we have to put our foot firmly on the accelerator. We have to put tiredness to one side until everything is over. The team are well prepared."