“We have to start from scratch to win”

Athletic Club’s manager Gaizka Garitano has talked to the media on the day before Granada CF’s visit to San Mamés. In the 15th Matchweek of LaLiga Santander, the lions will welcome a side who, in the red-and-white coach’s words, are “different to the ones who have come to San Mamés before”. That is why he cautions: “They started very well, with a really good organization and tremendous confidence. They are a solid block and they have really strong people up front who also know how to play well. They are a well-prepared team, highly dangerous.”

Garitano has also given his view on how contested LaLiga is, placing a high value on the difficulty of adding so many positive results in a row: “With the exceptions of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF, the rest of the teams aren’t capable of establishing their superiority in consecutive matches. The outcomes of the games are settled by details and 18 out of the 20 sides are in that situation. Neither we weren’t so bad before nor we are so good now. We have to be really focused, play humbly and with intensity. If we don’t do that, if those factors are missing or low, we do not have the ability to win anyone,” Athletic’s coach affirmed.

Finally, the manager form Derio has insisted that football “understands only about today and tomorrow,” it doesn’t matter what has previously been done: “To win tomorrow, you have to start from scratch again. We can’t make the error of looking back, we must look forward. I’m glad for the players, about the hard work they’ve done, but they ought to forget about that. Keep on winning is what matters and that’s what they have to set their minds to.”