Malaga boss Javi Gracia has promised that his team will be giving their all in Monday night’s game with Valencia at La Rosaleda.
The Navarra-born Coach has seen his team go all January without a win and is anxious to return to winning ways, although he acknowledges the difficulties of it.
“We are bursting with enthusiasm and ambition to continue performing well but I know how tough it will be against Valencia,” Gracia told reporters.
“I’m aware of our limitations and we’ll need to be realistic despite the fact that [Valencia Coach] Nuno considers us a direct rival, although in actual fact we are not.
“However, this doesn’t take away our excitement ahead of this game and gives us additional motivation to win It’s going to be difficult but we’ll give our all and I would like to return to our previous performance level.
“January’s results haven’t gone in our favour but this is nothing to do with neglect. There is no doubt whatsoever regarding the players’ commitment. Team’s go through good and bad times.”
Gracia was also full of praise for Valencia, who are chasing a Champions League place this season.
“Valencia have an excellent squad and their strength as a team allows them to compete for these positions. They are definitely a candidate for the top spots, while they are also rich in quality players and have shown different systems of play, so we need to be aware of that.
“But I’m proud of my squad and am confident we can have a successful second half of the season. It’s important to have faith in these players and show them we are right behind them.
“We’ve had some fantastic games so far and we need to relive them so as not to be distracted by discouragement and criticism.
“The fans are always with us, whether we are winning or losing, and the team really needs their support right now,” he concluded.
