José Bordalás Reflects on Victory Against Villarreal

omidbasir- José Bordalás addressed the media following his team’s triumph against Villarreal on Saturday. This victory not only moves the team further from the relegation zone but also showcases the improvements following the arrival of winter reinforcements.

**Valuation:** “Certainly. I believe the team played exceptionally well. It is a commendable victory against a Champions League rival, a team that has made tremendous strides in recent seasons, under the guidance of an excellent coach. They are undoubtedly competing for Champions League spots. I am very pleased for the players, as they have put in a fantastic effort. In the first half, the team was outstanding tactically, maintaining possession with composure and exploiting what the opponent allowed, given that Villarreal is a formidable team. We scored two well-deserved goals, and it is true that they did not create many chances against us, which is a significant achievement. While we did sit back a bit after their goal, we managed to endure. This reflects the daily hard work, the commitment, and how dedicated the players are. I am very happy for them and for the fans, as it has been a while since we could offer them a victory, an afternoon of good football, and a win against such a great rival.”

**Strengthened Team:** “Absolutely. This is a crucial victory, similar to last weekend’s win in Vitoria, especially given our prior poor run of results. The team has deserved much more, particularly due to their daily commitment and effort in training. We were concerned for the players, as victories build confidence, and today’s win against a team of Villarreal’s caliber gives them a special boost. They were euphoric at the end of the game, which is understandable, as they not only achieved a noteworthy victory but also performed exceptionally.”

**Staying Up:** “That is the talk. Everyone knows how passionate I am about my profession, my work, and my commitment to Getafe on a daily basis. The players recognize this. For me, the most important thing is that they believe in the work we are doing, both my coaching staff and I. They trust our preparations for each match based on our opponent and our potential. That is paramount. Right now, we cannot think beyond accumulating points. We are aware of the competitiveness; two matches ago, we were almost in the relegation zone, and now the standings mean absolutely nothing. We need to enjoy this moment for a few hours and then prepare for the next challenge, which will also be a very difficult match.”

**Match from the Booth:** “Much more. While it is true that I can see the entire field better and can observe all the details, allowing me to stay attentive to everything, I cannot react directly. Fortunately, I have an excellent technical team that has done remarkably well, paying attention to everything the players needed at any given moment. I want to congratulate them and express my gratitude because they are phenomenal.”

**Eight Points from Twelve:** “Undoubtedly. I am fortunate to have a fantastic locker room, with players showing incredible commitment and professionalism, helping each other daily. This is evident on the field: the team may be more or less accurate, but they give everything, compete at the highest level, and strive to dominate all aspects of the game. We know we do not have the same resources as some rivals; today we faced a team with an incredible squad that has been working exceptionally well in recent seasons, capable of forming a group that competes in the Champions League. Winning a match in the manner we did today is something we can be very proud of.”

**Three Central Defenders:** “We face circumstances that we must resolve as coaches, placing players where we believe they can contribute best. This was due to Mario’s injury; Djené performed exceptionally well in Mendizorroza and did so again today. It is true that this is a position he is not accustomed to, requiring additional effort to cover more ground. Ultimately, he had some issues with his soleus, but he played fantastically, just like all his teammates. We must congratulate them for giving everything, and we are very satisfied and happy with the reward for their hard work. Without a doubt, this is the way forward.”

**Forwards:** “I am very pleased and happy for them. These are young men who came from teams where they had limited playing time and little prominence, but they arrived with a lot of enthusiasm. They still lack the match fitness that comes from regular play. They arrived and had to play almost every minute. They face challenges, obviously, as the effort is significant, and our league is quite different from the ones they came from. We are very happy because they are competitive individuals who came with great enthusiasm. The locker room has welcomed them with open arms, and they seem very happy.”

**Neutralizing Villarreal:** “We remained very cohesive throughout the match and compensated well to prevent them from counterattacking. The team executed a very effective pressing game. In fact, the second goal came after we lost the ball in attack and pressed high, where we regained possession, opened up to the flanks, and Juan Iglesias delivered an excellent cross for Martín to score the second goal. In summary, I believe the team performed comprehensively in both defense and attack, which minimized the strengths of a great team like Villarreal.”