Sevilla Coach: Congratulations to the Club on Signing Youssef Fofana

According to Marca, Sevilla head coach Luis Garcia reviewed the transfer window ahead of the match against Espanyol.

Luis Garcia Plaza attended a press conference at the training ground on Friday to prepare for Sevilla's away match against Espanyol in the fourth round of La Liga. He said: “Regarding the transfer market, these days have been tense but also exciting. Those of us who have been in football for a long time know that it is an extremely intense period with a very fast pace, especially when the squad is not complete. We had a great finish, signing Fofana, who wants us to call him that. I am very happy.”

Speaking about the team's condition, Luis Garcia Plaza said: “The team is full of motivation and expectations now, and I think we are in good shape. We analyzed the match against Atletico Madrid. Defensively in the first half, we were not able to make our opponents uncomfortable as we had done before. Atletico's ability to take chances is indeed remarkable, but that match was the one in which we created the most scoring opportunities. I also said at halftime that we had to adjust and improve our defensive intensity, because we are a team with a high level of intensity, but at that time we did not adjust well enough.”

Regarding the recruitment work, he said: “At the end of last season, the club had a purchase option. I had a meeting with the president, and he asked me what I thought about the squad. I told him that we had to try to make some changes because the team had gone all the way to the final day for two consecutive years. At that time, the club did not yet have a sporting management structure. A few days later, the president told me that he believed Jose Ignacio was the most suitable candidate. Later, that proved to be the case. We are very satisfied with the work that has been completed, and now we have to keep working hard.”

Speaking about the penalty controversy involving Kike Salas, Luis Garcia Plaza said: “What I want to express is that I think there are sometimes wrong decisions and sometimes missed decisions in the league. The refereeing committee said there was a red-card decision that benefited us, and now it says there was a penalty decision that went against us. This is football, and there is no need to make a big issue out of everything every time.”

Regarding whether the new signings could be included in the squad list, he said: “Normally they will all be selected. The situations of the three players are different: Felix has been training and playing normally with his own team, Lucas has played less, and Fofana was left out of the team. There will be no problem with them making the squad list. As for whether they can play, we will have to see the situation. The current players have performed very well, and normally someone should get the chance to play in the match.”

Speaking about Ruben Vargas, Luis Garcia Plaza said: “The transfer market brings these changes. Throughout the entire preseason, players who looked likely to leave stayed, and players who looked likely to stay left. We have to adapt. He is currently feeling some discomfort, and we have to see how his recovery goes. This young player is in good shape, and we also have to understand how players feel in situations that bring a lot of pressure. Ultimately, he is one of ours. If we can get Ruben back to his best form, he will be very important for us. That was the case when I coached him; he played many minutes and always contributed.”

Speaking about the end of the transfer window, he said: “The president's office and Jose Ignacio's office are right next to each other, and these days have been very tense for us. From Monday onward, things kept falling through, and then Lucas appeared. On the final evening, it was also very difficult for us because we could not find a midfield option. After something changed with Fofana's situation, they called us, and three things came together: Jose Ignacio and his team reacted very quickly, and the president was equally excellent. Both of them were outstanding and used every possible method; the player also considered what Sevilla means and the Sevilla brand. I congratulate them on completing this signing.”

Speaking about the new signings adapting to the team, he said: “As coaches, we must make players feel comfortable. After the transfer window closed, our entire coaching staff held a meeting lasting nearly four hours to study how to combine the characteristics of the new players with our style of play. Felix may provide something similar to what Oso previously gave us, although not exactly the same, but at certain moments he can offer that type of quality. As a team, we have to find these solutions, and I believe everything will go well.”