Sergio Canales has outlined Valencia’s ambition to win their upcoming Cup games to build confidence ahead of facing Atletico Madrid.
Los Che face off against Gimnastic Tarragona in the Copa del Rey Round of 32 first leg this weekend, before a midweek Europa League test with Kuban.
Whilst the two games may be seen as low priority with a League trip to Atletico Madrid to then follow, their young attacking midfielder has countered otherwise.
“We took a major step forward against Osasuna and what we have to do is continue to look to reverse the situation,” began Canales to reporters today.
“Because if we lose the next game then it will be the same again. We have to go game by game and it is time to prove ourselves on the field.
“To win against Nastic and Kuban [in the Copa del Rey and Europa League] and to create a good feeling for the League match at the Vicente Calderon will be key to tackling that game with Atletico with much more.”
“The season is very long. We are in three competitions and in football one day you can be up and the next day you can be down.
“Against Osasuna important players like Ricardo Costa, Ever Banega and Joao Pereira didn’t play, but the dressing room is united and all pulling in the same direction.”
Canales was asked if he and his teammates feared that Coach Miroslav Djukic was going to be sacked if results against Swansea and Osasuna in the past week were not good.
“I do not know, in that sense, but we know that with hard work we will succeed.
“Valencia are a complicated club because you always have to go out and win. It is logical that things were discussed and there were several meetings in the dressing room, in the sense of being all together and reversing the situation.
“The situation has not gone completely, but now we are much calmer. For example, against Swansea we all knew that we had to be closer together when they had the ball.
“My form so far after injury? Every day I am contributing more. I am very self-critical and I think that I still have to improve further. Both the team and I are growing.
“I have always maintained that after so many injuries, it was very important to string three games together. Going into this headfirst helps a lot in getting back to the right level.”
