Valencia CF goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala recently shared his insights on l’Informatiu on VCF Media Radio regarding the upcoming Copa del Rey quarterfinal match against Athletic Club. Agirrezabala, who has been recovering from an injury, expressed his eagerness to return to action while highlighting the importance of following the timeline established with the doctors and physiotherapists.
He stated, “We’re continuing with the recovery and eager to be back as soon as possible, but with good feelings. Every day I’m working with the doctors and physiotherapists, and we’re sticking to the established timelines. We all want to play, and getting injured and knowing you’ll be out for a while is never pleasant, but I’m really keen to return as soon as I can.”
The upcoming match against Athletic Club holds special significance for Valencia, as both teams have passionate fan bases and a storied history with the Copa. Agirrezabala emphasized the need for a complete performance at Camp de Mestalla, underlining the advantage of playing at home. He remarked, “It’s a very special match. Two clubs that really value the Copa, with huge fan bases and a lot of excitement around the competition. The game will be at the Camp de Mestalla with our supporters, and we’ll need to put in a very complete performance to reach the semifinals.”
While acknowledging Athletic Club’s current challenges with player absences, he noted that they still have dangerous individuals capable of making an impact on the game. Agirrezabala has confidence in his team’s ability to leverage their home advantage, stating, “In this format, playing at home is vitally important. We came through the previous rounds convincingly and now we’re playing in front of our own fans, which we’ll try to take advantage of to get through. We’re competing at a good level and we need to keep going in that direction.”
Reflecting on the team’s recent form, Agirrezabala expressed disappointment over narrowly missing out on points in recent games, highlighting the team’s determination and competitive spirit: “We’ve been competing at a high level. Yesterday was a shame because the team put in a huge effort. Defensively we were solid and we had our chances going forward. Matches that are so evenly balanced are decided by details, and in the final minutes they scored the second goal. We finished the first half of the season in a difficult situation, but there’s a very small gap from ninth place downward. We’ve taken a step forward, and we need to maintain that competitive level to keep picking up wins.”
As Valencia CF gears up for this pivotal Copa del Rey encounter, fans are hopeful that the team’s determination and the support from Camp de Mestalla will guide them to victory and a spot in the semifinals.