Sevilla FC head coach Mattias Almeida attended the pre-match press conference to prepare for the upcoming La Liga match, the 21st round, at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium, where the team will face Athletic Bilbao.  

From a competitive standpoint, Matthias Almeida highly praised the point his team earned against Elche last week. He stated, "Every point is very important to us, especially considering the way we secured the draw. The team showed tremendous fighting spirit and resilience, and against a strong opponent, this result is commendable."  

Speaking about Nianzu's injury at the Martínez Valero Stadium, Matthias Almeida said the club is closely monitoring his recovery. He noted, "Nianzu is our teammate and part of the club, and nobody wants to see a player sidelined for an extended period. I sincerely hope he recovers quickly; he's still very young. Losing such a great player is a significant blow to us."  

After confirming a fracture of Marcão's left navicular bone, Matthias Almeida spoke about the player's situation. He said, "Marcão was injured in November, but he still insisted on playing because he really wanted to stay with the team, just like he accepted a pay cut to stay. These things may not be visible from the outside, but I am very grateful for his efforts. We only decided to stop him for examination after he was sent off, and that's when we discovered the fracture; he needs surgery."  

Furthermore, Matthias Almeida couldn't hide his joy when talking about Cole Adams, mentioning his brace against Elche and Ejúque's goal. He said, "It's certainly a good thing for strikers to score; they're in great form and full of energy since their return, Cole and Chidi are both like that. He seized the opportunity in that attack and scored a goal, which was a shot that might have gone wide—that's the ability of a striker. He also scored a penalty, showing great determination. You'll see him playing alongside Isak next."  

"We need to stay calm, build up our confidence, and demonstrate the dominance we deserve in home games. The fans have been accustomed to high standards of performance for the past two decades, and they are clearly not satisfied with the current situation. As long as we work together, we can create favorable conditions for the players, reduce their psychological burden, and help them regain their confidence."  

"After experiencing these unfortunate events, I cherish everything I have now even more. Being alive is a blessing in itself. Since my father passed away, my perspective on life has changed. I understand that football matches can have different outcomes, and the sport itself is constantly evolving. Therefore, I now remain focused and calm, striving to fight for my place. I always face everything with the mindset of a fighter and will not make any excuses."  

"Athletic Bilbao has many excellent players and they are well prepared for competing on multiple fronts. As a Champions League-caliber team, every match is challenging for them."  

Image source: Internet/Sevilla official website