Raúl García: “We have to be positive”

Athletic Club forward Raúl García has stressed that the first-team squad is fully focused and more than capable of having a successful 2020-21 campaign.

The forward, who recently celebrated five years with Athletic, appeared before the press shortly after finishing a training session and answered a range of questions on the loss against Granada, the season ahead and his own future at the club.

“The start of every season brings new excitement,” García said. “What I can see from the inside is that the team is working as hard as possible and that the dressing is strong, something which is really important in football.

“The team knows this could be a wonderful year. We’re fighting for important things and we’re aiming to do a good job in LaLiga.

“In that respect we have to make the fans excited, but this is also the same team that managed to reach the final of the Copa.”

Despite Saturday’s loss against Granada, Raúl believes that Athletic can take positives from the match. “For me it’s clear that, above all in the first half, the team was quite comfortable on the pitch,” he said. “But we, and myself above all, have to take responsibility for not scoring with the chances we had.

“If we hadn’t made those mistakes leading to their goals, we wouldn’t have lost.

“We have to be aware that we have always been solid defensively and we have to be positive. I believe we can move forward in terms of the important things we’re playing for.

“We always want to be in Europe because it’s an amazing and achievable goal, but we know that with the level of the other teams around there, it’s difficult.

He added: “But if we’re at 100%, we’ll be close to those goals. We’ve now got a week without a league match and we need to work together and get to the match against Eibar in the best possible shape.“

Raúl’s contract is set to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season, but the experienced forward made it clear that he will not let it distract him or affect his performances on the pitch.

“I’m not worrying about my contract, I only want to do well and nobody demands more from me than myself,” he declared. “Of course I want to carry on here and I feel good to do so, but the most important thing is that the squad works well.

“I work at 100% and what I have to do is perform at my absolute best in every game. Whatever happens on a personal level, will happen.

“I always try to be fully professional and make sure nobody can hold anything against me in terms of my work.”

Upon passing the five-year mark as a lion, he added: “I’ve just had my fifth anniversary here and the truth is I’m proud of what I’m doing.”