Defender Juan Cala spoke to the media via video link ahead of Monday’s LaLiga Santander clash at the Carranza against Athletic Club. “After every game, you have your impressions of how it went and they can change over the following days until you’ve formed your final opinion,” he said. “Today we had a meeting with the gaffer to discuss our thoughts, and he gave us his. We’re in a good position in terms of points and we have to get back to the defensive solidity that we had and begin to build momentum on those foundations. We’re going to work hard to improve; we can’t afford to be letting in three or four goals, regardless of how many external influences there are that we can’t control.”
Context: “We have to know where we’re at and attach the right amount of importance to every moment. We mustn’t get carried away. Just as beating Real Madrid doesn’t make us league champions, losing a game doesn’t make us a shoo-in for the drop. Every player has to look to perform to his best for the good of the group. It’s going to be a big challenge to achieve our goal for the season. Us players know that; everyone should know that. I’m confident we’re going to manage it, but we’re going to have ups and downs on the way.”
Possibility of a signing arriving outside of the transfer window: “If any player can come in to do his bit for the side, help push us on and offer something we don’t have, that’s obviously a good thing. Cádiz have their limitations as a club because we’ve just come up to Primera División and it isn’t easy. It’s always very difficult in the January window, all the more so given the economic situation the country’s in. We’re going to have to fight tooth and nail. The collective has always come before the individual and that’s not going to change.”
Taking each game as it comes: “It’s never a good idea to count your chickens before they hatch in football. What has served us well so far is taking it game by game and always going all out to win every time. I refuse to adopt the mindset that we can’t get a positive result away to Barcelona or beat Real Madrid when they come to the Carranza. Regardless of who we’re facing, we have to go out there to defend well, keep a clean sheet – that takes you a step closer to winning – and snap up our chances when they come our way. If we draw all 15 of our remaining games 0-0, we’ll be safe. We have to build up from that starting point.”