Molinero: "We are totally supportive of Julio Velázquez; our only thoughts are on winning this Saturday"

"We have to correct the mistakes we made in Pamplona so they don't happen again", said the Betis player

At midday Francisco Molinero attended members of the press in the pressroom at the Luis del Sol Training Centre. The wing-back from Toledo analysed the defeat suffered last Sunday at the El Sadar against CA Osasuna, warning of the need not to repeat the same mistakes in the future. Molinero spoke about the team's performance in the second half against Jan Urban's squad and the obligation to win Saturday's match against FC Barcelona B.

Last Sunday's setback and the forthcoming match against FC Barcelona B: “We knew we had a great opportunity to chalk up a second consecutive win after the victory against RC Recreativo de Huelva. We now have a match on Saturday, we must think about the three points at stake and go all out right from the kick-off. The only thing on our minds is winning”.

How do you explain the fact that you lost against CA Osasuna after the team's performance in the first half?: “I understand the deception that the fans feel. We are the main culprits for losing the match. You cannot play a first half like we did and then lose the match in the second. It's something that cannot happen again. We have to play like we did in the first half in every match. We cannot dwell on that match now it's a case of correcting the mistakes, and there were a lot in the second half. We believe that the those errors made that can change the result will not happen again”.

In the CA Osasuna match, the three goals conceded were off set pieces: “These things happen in football. We have to learn from the things we do well and those we do badly. We know how we lost the match the other day, and we know there were three goals scored as a result of dead ball situations. There are 20,00 goals like that in all matches. Work is done on that aspect. It is not about mindset or focus, or lack of it, it's a case of getting there that split second earlier”.

Do you work on dead ball situations in the sessions?: “It is something we have been working on since the beginning of the preseason, both in defence and in attack. It is really important. It is just that, coincidentally, all three goals were scored under those circumstances. If anyone thinks we do not work on that, it's just not true. It is just that in these sore of plays you only have milliseconds to make a decision which could be wrong. We have to learn from these mistakes so that they do not happen again. If we have to be beaten, then it should be for other reasons”.

Are you worried about a bad reaction for the fans on Saturday?: “All we think about is training as hard as we can. We don't even talk about anything else, just training, playing and competing. When you win everything is hunky-dory, but when you lose everything is questioned. We are totally supportive of Julio Velázquez, as we have been since day one. He is our coach, our leader”.

How has the loss at Pamplona affected the team's morale?: “It is true that this defeat has been a blow to our morale, particularly because of the way in which it happened. We have to focus on the week's work, think about Saturday's match and nothing else. Football is like a roller coaster, things like this happen. It is clear in our minds that we have to go out to win on Saturday, nothing else”.

The team concedes a lot of goals in the second half: “A match lasts 90 minutes and you have to play them until the final whistle. You cannot win by only playing 45 good minutes, no matter whether you are ahead on the scoreboard or behind. You cannot think about second halves, it's about competing, taking on the match even when you are winning or you score a goal. It is something we are doing in some matches".