“The team is highly motivated with the Cup”

“Some players are fresher, and others are more tired because we’re playing Wednesday and Sunday and some of them have been playing for many minutes. We have two or three players with some discomfort and based on that we will decide the best eleven.”  Gaizka Garitano has recognised in the press conference previous to the match of the Round of 16 of King’s Cup, which will face tomorrow in Tenerife the local team and Athletic, the exhaustion due to consecutive matches that is forcing his team the schedule of League and Cup.

However, the red-and-white coach is confident of the team’s morale in a competition in which they will face their fourth round, having previously won the play-offs against Intercity FC, Sestao River and Elche CF: “The team is highly motivated and we have put a lot of interest in the competition from the start and a lot of concentration in every match. The idea is to keep it up, although we know it will be difficult because we see that 10 teams of First Division are already out and many of those who have passed have done so in injury time or extra time. We imagine a complicated game, similar to the one in Elche, but we’re confident in our chances.”

Regarding the CD Tenerife, tomorrow’s opponents (9.00pm, peninsular time), Garitano has highlighted the approach of the team to football: “We know them well. With Baraja it’s a team that plays the ball well, very similar in style to Elche and also with a big field. In Saturday’s derby they were good even playing with ten for most of the match.”

Concerning the condition of Unai Simón and Aritz Aduriz, Garitano explained that “Unai is not yet strong after his illness and we need him to continue training. And Aritz is getting almost to the normality of the sessions and we hope to have him available soon.”