Diego Alonso: “We still have life and we will fight for the second round”

Diego Alonso, Uruguayan coach of Sevilla, regretted the 1-2 defeat against Arsenal on the third day of group B of the Champions League, against a rival with “a lot of hierarchy and great quality”, but stressed that his team still has “life”, with three games left in this phase, and they will fight “to play in the round of 16”.

Alonso declared after the match at Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, which left Sevilla third with 2 points, tied with PSV Eindhoven, 3 behind Lens, second, and 4 behind Arsenal, the leader, who “the first half had its pluses and minuses. , but it was quite equal”, even the 0-1 of the Londoners “affected them” because of how it came, with their “team overturned trying to score”.

“With a rebound and poor offensive vigilance they marked us with the quality they have. In the second half we were affected by the second goal conceded, although then we recovered flight, we freed ourselves and formed again. No we are clearly outnumbered by two shots and we lack the precision to do more damage, which is what we intended,” said the Uruguayan coach.

The Sevilla coach defended, however, that he had “zero reproaches” to make to his players, “because today they removed themselves and gave the public what they had” against an Arsenal “with a lot of hierarchy ” and against whom they competed. good”.

“But the details at this level have paid off and we have to continue improving. We still have life and we will fight to play in the round of 16. Now we have to clear our heads and think about adding three to LaLiga ( on Saturday in Cádiz) to put the team where it should be,” he stressed.

Alonso also praised the role of the stands despite the defeat against the Gunners. “It was fantastic and everything despite the rain. We just have words of thanks to the public for the support and I think the players gave it back despite the result. People want the player to give the everything for the team and I think that’s the reflection,” he said.