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We did enough to deserve a win
Pablo Machín bemoans the loss, but places value on the team’s work against a strong opponent
RCD Espanyol ended the UEFA Europa League group stage with a defeat against CSKA Moscow at the RCDE Stadium, with qualification as group winners already in the bag since the game against Ferencvaros two weeks ago. The “perico” coach highlighted some of the positive aspects of the side’s performance against the Russian outfit. “We did enough to deserve a win, I’m the first person to want to win, and we had a number of chances to make it 1-0. After that, it was clear that we looked tired in the final stages of the game, but it wasn’t a case of the players lacking desire and the other side taking advantage of that. I’ve always been very frank and honest and today you cannot say that the side lacked pride or spirit. There were a lot of factors. We were up against a great opponent, for me the best team in the group”.
Machín was able to share minutes out amongst the group after a strong performance in the group stage: “I was clear that from our perspective it was job done, we don’t know if players will get injured and we didn’t have the luxury of risking some players tonight that we need for Sunday, which is a more important game”.
In this sense, the coach left no room for doubt that the team’s priority is focusing on the upcoming league game against Betis at the RCDE Stadium and highlighted the importance of the role of the fans. “Obviously everyone in the stadium wanted to win, but I think we all know what today meant and what Sunday means. I am convinced that even though we haven’t been at the level expected of us, they will support us. We have to do this all together, the fans backed us to the end today, I understand how they feel and on Sunday I know that they will come back even stronger and help us get the win to start moving forward”.