“The derby is a day to feel more proud than ever to be a parakeet”

Luis García, the Espanyol coach, is clear that Sunday is a special day. Because the team plays a good part of its safety options. Because he’s doing it against a Barça that could be champions. Because it’s a derby at home, in front of their own fans. Because players and followers are fully focused.

For all this, the Asturian coach expects the best version of his team and confirmed that this Sunday is a perfect day for the parakeets to feel more proud than ever that they are from Spain.

What you said about “being a parakeet is the best thing about Barcelona”, will it serve to bring out the anger in a game like this?

Tomorrow is a day to feel more proud than ever to be from Spain, for people to see that we really left everything. To feel more proud than ever to be from Spain.

What does Barça hope to find tomorrow?

Barça, if they play the game they have planned, to keep the ball and not let the rival take it away, will have a game that they have imitated for years. We will try to make them an uncomfortable game, with and without the ball, being very aggressive, with intensity, winning duels… And when we have the ball, being able to drop down two gears with that attitude to have the ball must be calm. There is no greater incentive than what we play. Your prestige, the work of many years and the suffering of your people; both fans and family.

Barça have trained very little this week, does it have an influence?

Everyone manages his staff in the best way he thinks. Xavi will think it’s the best, I’m not the one to get involved.

Xavi praised his personality and his style, going so far as to say that he learned a lot from him when they met on a coaching course.

It was a course where we shared and grew a lot with all of us. We all learned a lot. I really appreciate your words.

As a coach, do you prefer your team to find you or pressure your opponent?

If you jump you will find gaps in the back. The important thing is to find players to exploit those gaps. We work at all stages to try to get as close as possible to success, which is what we need.

He has experience making life difficult for Barça. What is the password?

That’s it. In a derby there is no difference or classification. And we really risk everything. Put it all in a pot and cook it well, with tension but also calmly to do things well on all levels, that’s important

What do you ask Joselu?

I see Joselu very involved, wanting to keep improving. For us it is important, it reaches the rival defense, a reference to the central defenders, it is a brutal threat in the area or in a situation of the last pass. He is in the national team for a reason, not by chance, I don’t believe in coincidences.

How have you seen the players physically and mentally in recent days?

I found them very strong from day one: we came with a unique idea, neither better nor worse. When you’re in a complex situation like this, to come up with this idea you have to have a lot of personality. And they do it, forgetting about the situation. And this makes them proud, because they see that with this idea we are closer to getting points. I know what they are going through, I know what it feels like to have a noose around your neck, the false reassurances this situation creates for you. And they see that with our idea things can be better

Is it in your favor that no one plays more than Spanish?

When you risk everything and they win the League without playing or for a week or two it’s clear we’re not playing the same. With relegation, you risk everything. We need calm and be aware that this is a derby.

Barça uses a false fourth midfielder to strengthen its core. How does this compare to the pitch?

It’s a good question, but I won’t reveal it to you because it will help Xavi… They can play with four midfielders, with two wingers with the recovery of Dembélé… We worked with all our find, both in defense as in attack