Centre forward Álvaro Negredo stopped by the stadium's press room this afternoon to talk about the game against Atlético de Madrid next Saturday, analysing last weekend's game in Vallecas with self-criticism and talking about the team ahead of the matchday 12 clash. "It was a bad game in every sense of the word. Inside we had the feeling that Rayo were superior. Before half-time we got the penalty, the sending-off and the second goal. In the second half we had a sending off, a goal and on the pitch those who were on the pitch tried to show their faces. It was a tough result. The team has to keep working, we have to get our act together and we have to make it three wins out of three. We have a difficult opponent coming up but we can do a lot of good things at our ground."
Psychological level. "I think it's a mental issue. The team has maturity and those who don't have it will have to get closer to those who do. It's not easy to play in this situation but it makes you tense up. That's good for staying focused and in the game. Those of us who are strongest in the head have to help the rest."
Work and humility. "We are a modest club, with a low budget and that's what we have to work with. It has helped us two years to be saved and this year it won't be low. We are all going to fight together to stay up. The team, the coaching staff, the club and the fans are going to unite to achieve our objective. I am sure we will achieve it."
Atleti. "They are a very difficult opponent who have very clear ideas. If you make a mistake they penalise you a lot. Without the ball they are comfortable, they know how to play with it. We have to play a match with a lot of concentration from start to finish. Atleti are not the best opponent right now to pull this off, but we have a lot to win and little to lose."
The World Cup break in Qatar is coming up. "It's going to be a difficult break for us because it's going to be another pre-season like the one in the summer, but in December. We don't know how we're going to react, how the body is going to feel in that sense. The professionals on the coaching staff will try to deal with it in the best way possible so that we arrive in the best possible condition. It's going to be complicated for everyone."
On a personal level. "I feel pretty good. It's always important to play and when you play I try to add to that. I'm getting a bit of continuity and so I'm performing well. In Vallecas it wasn't the game we wanted. Whoever plays is involved, that was shown on the day against Betis and that's a good dynamic for a team. It's important that the team doesn't suffer no matter who plays."
Atleti are playing in the Champions League. "They have a squad with a lot of internationals, but you don't notice much when they play during the week because the legs get used to it. They may rotate a few players but whoever comes in has a good rhythm, a good game and you don't notice the difference with those who leave."