Jemez: More than three points

Paco Jemez has claimed that there will be “more than three points at stake” when Rayo Vallecano host Almeria in La Liga on Sunday.

Los Vallecanos suffered a humiliating 6-1 reverse at the hands of League rivals Celta Vigo last time out, and the Coach demanded a response from his players, although he stopped short of criticising their attitude.

“The match against Almeria is very important. There are more than three points at stake,” he said at a Press conference.

“We must reassert ourselves [against Almeria] and reclaim the many things we were lacking in Vigo.

“We lost out on three points last week, but there were also other things which hurt us more.

“The game was a gift with an open hand and we have to give our best [against Almeria] for many reasons.

“We need to rid ourselves of the bad blood from Celta, but we won’t win with just pride because it could backfire on us.

“Instead, it should be a mixture of wounded pride and confidence that we can turn things around.

“We must work hard to overcome these wounds and to compete at a high level. The team were in very good form and it’s not been forgotten. We must recover.

“I know Sergi [Barjuan’s] philosophy very well, but you can’t improve a team’s fortunes overnight because it takes time and unfortunately that’s something he doesn’t have much of.

“He can’t make too many changes in such a short time because results are needed.

“[On reports Alberto Bueno has agreed a pre-contract with Porto], I demand all my players to be good professionals.

“I don’t know if Alberto has signed with Porto or not. It’s his problem, but I do understand that it affects who I have to leave off [the team]. That goes for him and anyone else.

“You can normally smell these things a mile away, but for now there’s nothing to report on.

“On the pitch, players can make mistakes, but they can never be accused of lacking professionalism. That’s forbidden at this club and so far there’s been no problem.”

Tags Paco Jemez
La Liga - Club News