Roberto Jimenez has commented that he sees Real Zaragoza as a stronger unit for their 4-0 midweek defeat to Sevilla.
The goalkeeper sat out the thrashing at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, but commented before looking ahead to the weekend’s ‘final’ against Espanyol, that the dressing room is better for the defeat.
“That defeat has greatly strengthened us as a group, although perhaps from the outside this cannot be understood,” declared Roberto to reporters this week.
“Saturday’s game is a final, if we want to have a consistent second half to the season and show ourselves as the team that we believe we are. If we wants a quiet end to the campaign, Saturday is a good opportunity to start from.
“We have no doubt that we can progress forward and that we are currently on the right track.
“In the first round of the season we did well to get 22 points and get through the Copa del Rey knockout rounds, so the analysis has to be that we are on the right track.”
Coach Manolo Jimenez commented after the midweek loss that the team are tired from the demands of playing in more than one competition.
“The team needs to squeeze against any opponent and it makes sense that we have had more wear for having played more games. However, we now have our sights set on Saturday’s game.
“We have completed two weeks of games and the team has been overexerting itself to compete at 100 per cent.
Roberto was asked for his response to the analysis that Real Zaragoza threw their second leg tie at Sevilla in midweek.
“This bothers me because we know Manolo Jimenez and for he has many reasons to love this team, but he also wanted to win, he is a winner, and to say that the players had given up is something that should be quietened.”
