Claudio Giráldez Discusses Team Challenges and Relationship with Manolo González

omidbasir- Claudio Giráldez acknowledges the challenges posed by Espanyol in recent matches. He emphasizes that his relationship with Manolo González is amicable, downplaying concerns regarding the current streak of defeats and asserting that their league position remains strong.

Regarding the upcoming match, Giráldez stated, “The focus should be on Espanyol. We have had a long week of training, which has been beneficial, as it has been quite some time since we experienced this. Our priority is to concentrate on this game, and we have ample time for recovery afterward. The significant point is that we have lost all three matches since I arrived. We need to focus on the footballing aspect and learn from our previous mistakes in interpreting less critical statements. Ultimately, the outcome in football is what truly matters.”

He reiterated, “We have lost all three matches and must seek ways to improve our performances while continuing to emphasize what we did well in those games. They are a formidable opponent for any team in this league and are having a remarkable season.”

On his relationship with Manolo González, Giráldez remarked, “I’m not sure if he is upset with me; however, I have a good rapport with him. Our conversations have been positive, and we share mutual friends. I clarified our situation previously, and it holds no further significance. We communicate frequently, and sometimes our statements may not fully capture our intentions. I later explained things well. As I mentioned before, he deserves tremendous recognition for the exceptional work he is doing.”

When addressing the need to break their adverse streak, he noted, “The players have been training exceptionally well, displaying a tremendous willingness to change the results of the last three matches. We hope to achieve this in the upcoming match against a team ranked higher than us, which we have yet to defeat. I generally do not believe in trends; if I noticed the same patterns in all three matches, then I would recognize it. However, I see three distinct matches.”

Concerning the league standings, Giráldez commented, “We are in a spectacular position at this point in the season. Additionally, we are fortunate to be competing in the knockout stages of the tournament, which we aimed for, allowing us to continue growing in European competition. We will see how we approach the match against PAOK and then against Mallorca. It is true that there will be less time between the matches against PAOK and Mallorca, but that is a welcomed dilemma.”