Óscar Sánchez: “The team has shown it’s alive and eager to turn the situation around”

Valencia's interim coach, Óscar Sánchez, expressed disappointment after the 2-3 defeat against Real Sociedad at Mestalla. The team fought back after halftime, equalizing twice, but a late goal from Barrene dashed their hopes.

Sánchez acknowledged the players' effort and the crowd's support. "We leave quite sad. I believe Valencia's fans know what they want, and the players also know what these fans want. I think the team had heart until the end, they tried at all times," he stated.

He felt the match had different phases, praising his players' attitude despite the loss. "The team has shown it’s alive, that it’s eager to turn the situation around," he said, thanking Mestalla's backing. "It was spectacular throughout the entire match."

Analyzing the game, Sánchez pointed to numerous first-half turnovers that allowed Real Sociedad to exploit transitions. "That's what allowed Real to run and create dangerous situations. We were too stretched out when we had the ball," he commented.

At halftime, the staff introduced David Otorbi to add width. "We were lacking in attacking space, and we know Otorbi can provide that." The coach noted the team understood the plan and recalled that Valencia had chances to take the lead at 1-1. "The shame was that penalty that allowed Real to go ahead again."

Despite the result, he stressed the team's reaction demonstrated commitment. "It showed personality, heart, and a desire to equalize when we were behind, and earlier, when we drew, a desire to go and win. That's what should be asked of the players," he affirmed.

The academy's contribution was again a positive. Following Aarón Mayol's recent prominence, Aimar Blázquez played a part in the 2-2, and Otorbi made a dynamic appearance. Sánchez defended the club's tradition of developing talent. "Valencia is historically an academy club. Not just for the players we have in the first team, but also for players in professional football. It must continue to be this way."

He congratulated the young players on their performance but admitted the result overshadowed their contributions. "They have shown they are ready to help when needed. We must congratulate both of them, despite the sadness over the result."

Addressing defensive issues, Sánchez avoided singling out the backline, advocating a holistic view. "Not so much the defensive line. I think, in general, we need to improve. Improvement must always be present, win or lose," he noted. He defended the squad's quality and potential for growth. "It's a good squad."

Regarding the academy players' future roles, Sánchez was firm: "For me, first-team players and academy players are equally important. And if they earn it, they will get opportunities." He steered clear of personal reflections on his interim role, stating his sole concern was not delivering a win to the fans. "I am quite sad for not being able to give the people that victory we all wanted so much."