Getafe host FC Barcelona at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez tomorrow in La Liga, with the Catalans hoping to take another step towards securing the title.
Currently nine points clear of Real Madrid, who face Real Betis later tonight, Barça are within touching distance of the title.
However, playing against Getafe, who are vying for European qualification, in their own backyard, is never easy. And their manager, Jose Bordalas, made it clear that they approach the game with ambition.
While Bordalas avoided explicitly mentioning European qualification as an objective, he stressed that his team has earned the right to dream.
“We dream every day, but you have to have that mindset, and I try to instil it in the boys,” he said.
“You know me by now; I have a winning mentality, and I apply it day in, day out. We’ve picked up a significant number of points and have earned the privilege of not looking at the table at this stage.”
Meanwhile, the Getafe head coach also sent a direct message to his Barcelona counterpart, Hansi Flick, when asked about his comments from last year, where he called on the German manager to show more sportsmanship in defeat.
Bordalas and Flick face each other tomorrow. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“I don’t usually go out and make statements like that; I said it after the last match, and that’s in the past. I have a good relationship with all the managers and there’s no problem,” he said.
“The only thing he should be thinking about is talking more about his own team and not about the opposition,” Bordalas added.
At the same time, Bordalas also highlighted the difficulty of the opponent, stressing that Barcelona will arrive needing all three points to move closer to sealing the league title, despite the absence of Lamine Yamal for the rest of the season.
“Barça have a fantastic squad; they’re one of the best teams in Europe and are top of the table with a comfortable lead over second place on their own merits. We’ll have to be at our very best to get a good result,” he stated.
He also referred to Yamal’s injury, expressing his preference to see the best players on the pitch.
“I always want the best players on the pitch; before being a manager, I’m a spectator,” Bordalas noted.
