Borja Sainz wanted Gül’s 1-1: “It mattered, but I’m happy for him” | OneFootball

Borja Sainz ended the match with a 3-1 win over AVS SAD, but also with the feeling that there were details to improve on a night when the result did not entirely erase the sense of demand. In the aftermath, the Spanish winger analysed what was missing from the game, the weight of a target that slipped away, and also a move in which the goal could have been his, but ended up going to Deniz Gül. In the end, somewhere between frustration and detachment, he summed it all up with a simple idea: “I’m happy for him…”

In a reflective mood, Borja Sainz kept his message consistent: winning was always the priority, even in a context in which the team were already champions. The Spaniard spoke about sharpness, reaction and ambition, making it clear that, internally, the season is not spared any demands just because the main objective has already been achieved.

Asked what the team had lacked, Borja was direct and focused his answer on attacking efficiency, without giving up the idea that the intent had always been there.

“We played to win as always, we lacked a bit of sharpness up front, but we played to get the 3 points.”

In this short sentence, you can see the competitive mindset the player wanted to underline: there was no easing off, only a lack of efficiency. The reading is of a team that did not drift away from its commitment, even if it was unable to turn everything it tried into total control of the game.

When the conversation moved on to the inability to hold the result with greater authority, the Spaniard went back to the moment of the equaliser and to the way the team conceded again. The answer also opened the door to a broader idea about what the season has been like.

“We equalised and they scored straight away…,” he explained. “It was like throughout the season, we always try for the best. We are champions and we don’t want this to stain the season.”

There is a mix in this answer of dissatisfaction and protection of what has been built. Borja does not hide his irritation at the way the game became complicated, but he is also keen to place the night within a bigger frame, refusing to let one slip affect the overall reading of the campaign.

The winger also stressed that the internal demands do not end with the title and that there was a concrete target the team wanted to reach.

“Yes… We always think about the 3 points and we went out to win. It’s a shame because we had the target of 91 points, but it didn’t happen…”

The comment helps explain the tone of his analysis: even with the season already validated by their status as champions, the team wanted more. Not out of caprice, but as the natural extension of a competitive ambition that Borja was keen to keep at the centre of the conversation.

The most personal topic came up when he was asked about the move that made it 1-1, in which he lifted the ball over the goalkeeper and then saw Deniz Gül touch it afterwards, claiming the goal. There, Borja let a hint of frustration show, but without turning it into noise.

“The important thing is that it was a goal. I’m happy for him…,” he admitted. “Was it important for me? Yes, but the most important thing is that he scored and I’m happy about that.”

It is in this balance between the personal and the collective that the answer gains weight. Borja Sainz admitted that the goal meant something to him, but chose to close the matter with generosity, putting the essential focus on the team’s benefit and his teammate’s happiness.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.