Quique: "We have the privilege of having Mariano and he can be very important"

Quique Sánchez Flores was a happy man at the end of the match. Alavés debuted with a resounding victory against Getafe, once again keeping a clean sheet after struggling significantly in that area last season. The substitutions made in the second half proved crucial to the win. Mariano Díaz was the main protagonist, but Mikel Rodríguez's performance was also noteworthy.

"It's a good result against a very physical opponent who makes it very difficult for you, interrupts the game a lot, and we found ourselves in a very different type of match than we wanted. We had patience, we played with the game's rhythms, and we were able to run in the final stretch, which is excellent because we are a team that is good in transitions. We are happy because we kept a clean sheet, we didn't concede much, and we had quite a few shots."

Quique was very pleased with Mariano's role. "I am very calm with Mariano. During the week, we had a very interesting conversation. He had too many things on his shoulders. He was thinking too much about what had already happened. The past is history in football. Everything that lies ahead is yet to be written. That's a message for Mariano to be well, not to get discouraged, and to be important for us."

In this regard, the Madrid-born coach knows that it is everyone's job to bring out the best in Mariano. "He is a player who, at his best, would be inaccessible to us. We have the privilege of having him, and hopefully, together, we can accompany him on his journey because he can be very important for him."

The league debut brought many positive notes, including the first clean sheet of the season. "All the players were at a very high level of concentration. To beat a team like Getafe, it's important to always maintain focus because they are a very smart team that capitalizes on your lapses. I highly value not conceding a goal. The team interpreted the tactical change after halftime very well, and we are very pleased with the team's performance."