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Unai Emery: Valencia can beat Barcelona in Copa del Rey semi-finals
The Spanish coach believes that his team are more motivated than the Catalan club and insists his side are not built around regular starters
27-Jan-2012 7:20:00 AM
By Luis Mira
Unai Emery - Valencia
Valencia coach Unai Emery reckons his side have a chance to defeat Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
The Mestalla outfit have earned passage into the semi-finals with a 7-1 aggregate victory over Levante following Thursday's 3-0 win at the Ciutat de Valencia.
Emery admits that Barca, who defeated Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, will be a difficult opponent, but insists his side's chances must not be written off.
"Yes, it will be hard," he said after the match. "But we can do it. We will try.
"In terms of motivation, yes, we will be favourites."
Emery then noted he was happy with Valencia's performance in a match in which he fielded a much-changed team.
"We seek the mentality of building a team without regular starters, but with trust and with the capacity to play to win, regardless of the result," he added.
"We did it today with no sending-koffs and with a clean sheet."
The Mestalla outfit have earned passage into the semi-finals with a 7-1 aggregate victory over Levante following Thursday's 3-0 win at the Ciutat de Valencia.
Emery admits that Barca, who defeated Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, will be a difficult opponent, but insists his side's chances must not be written off.
"Yes, it will be hard," he said after the match. "But we can do it. We will try.
"In terms of motivation, yes, we will be favourites."
Emery then noted he was happy with Valencia's performance in a match in which he fielded a much-changed team.
"We seek the mentality of building a team without regular starters, but with trust and with the capacity to play to win, regardless of the result," he added.
"We did it today with no sending-koffs and with a clean sheet."
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