Sergio Canales insists Real Sociedad must overcome their Europa League elimination and take heart from the victory over Real Madrid.
The Basques were surprisingly beaten by Russian outfit Krasnodar in the qualifiers and Canales [pictured, right], the subject of a rejected deadline day bid from Aston Villa, believes it should now be consigned to the past.
“Obviously the Europa League exit was a big disappointment but the victory over Madrid, the way it was done with us coming back and the team giving everything we had, gives us a lot of satisfaction and confidence,” he told a Press conference.
“This team always goes out to win and leaves everything on the pitch, but we were playing against 11 others who made it difficult for us.
“We tried to play our own game the way we wanted to, something that eventually went in our favour when we played Madrid.”
Canales has also been stung by some of the criticism aimed at the team before the victory over Madrid.
“Perhaps it’s all the talk of the hunger La Real had when the team was at the top and then, when things go wrong, it starts to get questioned.
“But we need to be ourselves. The only place we can do our talking is out on the pitch, doing the best we possibly can, which will help everyone to be happier.”
The former Madrid midfielder did not start against his old club but says that boss Jagoba Arrasate’s decision had no significance.
“I had played four successive matches from the start, something I know is difficult in this team.
“We all want to play and we are all fighting for a place, but it is the Coach who decides,” he concluded.
