Sampaoli: “We are still alive and excited, but the return is very difficult”

Sevilla’s coach, Argentine Jorge Sampaoli, highlighted after his team’s 2-0 victory over Turkish Fenerbahçe, in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16, that they are “alive and excited”, but be warned, because of the level. and the type of opponent they face, the return to Istanbul “will be very difficult”.

“You have to try to know that it is not closed. They are a team of hierarchy”, stressed Sampaoli after the meeting, explaining that there were “two completely different parts” and that at first “it was very difficult for them. , it was a similar game with Osasuna”, where they lost 2-3, because they could not “get out” and they were “uncomfortable with the pressure” of Fenerbahçe.

He added, however, that in the second half they made “some corrections”, with “a structural change” and also of the players by strengthening the midfield, and in the end they deserved the victory that this, which “creates expectations for returns”. .

Regarding the improvement of Sevilla’s game after the break, the Argentine coach indicated that they thought that “having a player in the middle” of the field could give them “the possibility of having superiority in different areas, and that’s what happened”, and argued that “the party called for a restructuring”.

Casilda’s coach also referred to the possession and the good play made by goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic, at the expense of the Moroccan Yassine Bono, and insisted that the Serb “stopped a lot” and “it was an opportunity for him”, in addition to the fact that having “two goalkeepers at this level allows another to have a break” in the squad.

Already focused on Sunday’s important match at home against Almería, a direct rival for permanence, Sampaoli stressed that with this victory in Europe they will deal with it “in a different way”, but warned that “it is a game to be played. there is intelligence after today’s wear”.