Seedorf: "Depor aren't that bad, we do a lot of things well"
Clarence Seedorf spoke to AS ahead of the trip to Atlético Madrid on Sunday. The 42-year-old maintained that there is still hope, and congratulated Simeone on his work.
Deportivo La Coruña coach Clarence Seedorf spoke to AS about the Galician club's fight against relegation.
Depor travel to the capital on Sunday evening to face Atlético Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano and find themselves seven points adrift of safety. Seedorf is yet to taste victory since taking over from Cristóbal Parralo in early February.
Seedorf maintains that Depor's luck will turn
How is the group after the draw with Las Palmas?
I think that once again, we got a result that we didn’t deserve. I watched the game when I was calmer and we had 14 chances on goal. How many do we have to create? But that has already happened and we need to look forward.
I’m human and I don’t like to drop points. We didn’t get the victory that was there for us and it’s disillusioning. Also, we had two weeks and time to recuperate.
The crowd wasn’t happy. Do you worry about a negative atmosphere?
I hope not. That would be an own goal. I look at Las Palmas and Levante and they’re not playing ‘superfootball’. We haven’t got the results to match what we’ve done, you’ve got to be strong. It’s normal that the fans protest at the end of matches, but not before because we need them. It’s a tough moment, but I’m sure we’re going to win a lot of points between now and the end of the season.
Depor are seven points from safety. Can you recover that deficit?
Why not? We’re going in to games to win. We can’t change a shot against the post for a goal, a save like the one against [Florin] Andone. Of course it’s possible because the team is ready to compete. In my seven games here we’ve created chances and the opposition haven’t made us suffer much. That adds up and we believe that we can start to win. Honestly, we’re not that bad, we do a lot of things well.
'Diego Simeone? I take my hat off to him'
Atlético are coming up at the weekend…
They’re a great team, but nobody is unbeatable. We know that it’s a big mountain to club but we have to believe. There are people who climb Everest, no?
They might be without Antoine Griezmann, at least.
They have a great team, although it’s true that Griezmann is on a higher level. But Atlético’s strength doesn’t come from one player. They’re a team, a group. That has to be our strength as well.
It does look like Diego Costa will be fit. What are your thoughts on him?
He’s a warrior. I like him a lot, he does the work of two men. He always fights, he’s a bastard on the pitch in a good way, he scores goals… the best thing is to handcuff him and leave him in the dressing room. But seriously, he’s got himself in to form and he’s going to give us problems, but if we do a good job and pay attention he can be stopped.
What do you think of Diego Simeone’s work at Atlético?
Simeone has been doing a fantastic job for a few years. I take my hat off what he’s doing. His work is clearly formed and established. Well done to him for what he’s doing.
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