Corberán: "We are very eager to play at Mestalla again" | OneFootball

Injuries and absences for the match

In addition to the injuries we already had before, César Tárrega is also out for tomorrow’s game. It will be two or three weeks until he rejoins the group. During this week, we have been managing the players' workloads.

Cömert has recovered from his discomfort, Copete is available, and the most significant absence is that of César. Dani Raba has trained with the team and will be in the squad.

Working with the new sporting structure

The club are doing everything possible to strengthen the team.

Unai Núñez

I can't speak about players who don't belong to Valencia CF. I am aware that there is a very advanced operation, in this case, for a centre back to sign. Every effort has been made to finalise this deal as soon as possible, but not everything depends on the interests or needs of Valencia CF; there are other parties involved. We understand that a deal will be completed in the coming weeks, and the player's availability will depend on bureaucratic matters, not just sporting ones.

How the team have worked on set pieces

There are teams that excel in this area, and RCD Espanyol take full advantage of these situations. They have a player in Cabrera who is a focal point, he draws the ball to him, and he creates a lot of danger. We have taken a step forward; we look motivated and prepared, and that's important. We must be a very good team defensively on set pieces -and try to exploit that in attack as well.

Other advanced negotiations

I've never specified the positions of the players who are going to join. We're working to bring in a player immediately. And from there, not everything depends on our will.

I'm not involved in any negotiations or searches in the transfer market. It's impossible. I'm not considering this; it's not the mission I came here to undertake. We wanted to strengthen the defence, and with Diakhaby's injury, the profile of the player we wanted has become clearer. We had Copete, Cömert, Tárrega… We needed a centre back who could play alongside them, as a complementary player. The club are looking for those characteristics. For a signing to go through, there's the player's interest -as not everyone has the passion to join a club who are in a challenging situation – that of the player's agent, the other club, and the club that want the player. Something which seems simple, which is coordinating all the parties, is sometimes very quick, and other times it isn’t. Unfortunately, the timing isn't always right.

Players linked to the club

Beyond the names that are published, the coach talks about needs and profiles. When you're approaching a season, you look at positions where a reinforcement could be useful. Then, we define a profile. If we identify a need, the club search based on our budget, go into the market, and look at the available players. The signing staff work on that and, at a certain point, share the options with the coach. Once the coach sees it, you have his input and feedback, and from there it's up to the club to finalise the deals.

His relationship with Ron Gourlay and Lisandro Isei

I perceive a maximum level of alignment. We're completely aligned. We all knew the centre back situation was a necessity, we all wanted one here as soon as possible: Ron, Lisandro, the coach, everyone. There are times when you can bring in what you need, and other times you have to wait. We all want what's best for Valencia CF. I don't perceive any friction. We've just started a working relationship. I knew Ron from before, and Lisandro is doing everything he can to make this the best possible transfer window for Valencia CF. We're all pulling in the same direction.

The central midfield position

I understand the debates. I'm focused on Pepelu, Santamaría, Ugrinic… on getting the best out of each of them, of the team, and ensuring they're in the best possible condition for tomorrow's match.

The match against RCD Espanyol

We have a demanding game and we are very eager to play at Mestalla again. We know how important our stadium and our fans are, and we’ll be up against a great side who are playing at a high level -and we want to prove ourselves.

Possibility of players leaving in the transfer window

We have one free spot in the squad; from there, we'll see how the market develops.

Comparisons with the summer transfer window

In everything I do in my life, I detest mistakes and invest a lot of time in trying to do things perfectly. We all have high standards as our essence; it's impossible to always get things right, but when I see a rival, I exaggerate the process a little. My job is to invest a lot of time to make what I do good. I don't like to fail. Working hard brings us all closer to achieving our goals.

The need to win at Mestalla

If I look back, the team deserved more than a draw against Elche CF. Defensively, it's one of those games that I liked. What I liked most was how we neutralised a team that generate a lot of attacking play. We deserved more than just a point in that game. When we went behind, we never stopped fighting. I really like that. In the match against RCD Mallorca, it wasn't quite as dramatic, but the team were closer to winning than drawing. That's a positive sign; I like the intensity and determination. We need to keep it up.

Javi Guerra

His role is to contribute to the team in every way. Whether that be in the starting lineup, from the bench… He’s making a great contribution. In the last game, we needed to show a lot of mental fortitude to defend, and Javi helped with that. He looks eager to help and contribute, just like the rest of the team. If I didn't mention him before, it was a mistake.

Being happy with the squad he has

We had the responsibility to strengthen the squad, and there are still some moves to be made to complete that.

What the transfer market provides

The transfer market can always offer different possibilities; you can consider some better than others. The club have worked on options that could play on either side of the centre back pairing. When something is finalised, we'll have that position covered.