Jagoba Arrasate: "Nobody can dash our hopes for the Super Cup"
The CA Osasuna coach appeared before the media along with the red team captain, David García, ahead of the second semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup where they will face FC Barcelona this Thursday.
Osasuna are looking forward to the Spanish Super Cup semi-final with the belief that comes from having already made history for the club from Navarra.
Jagoba Arrasate acknowledged that it is "something historic for the club. It is a continuation of last year's great season".
❝Es algo histórico... una competición corta, dos partidos y grandísimos rivales, pero nadie nos va a quitar la ilusión de ganar mañana❞
— RFEF (@rfef) January 10, 2024
🗣️ Jagoba Arrasate | @Osasuna#superSupercopa pic.twitter.com/XWoFfSf4Po
Captain David García described playing in the Super Cup with Osasuna as a "dream come true": "As a Navarra lad and a lifetime ´Red´, coming here with Osasuna fills me with pride. It's something that will go down in the club's history".
❝Es un sueño estar hoy aquí. Como navarro, como rojillo, venir aquí con compañeros y amigos a intentar jugar una final de Supercopa es todo un orgullo❞
— RFEF (@rfef) January 10, 2024
🗣️ David García | @Osasuna #superSupercopa pic.twitter.com/ISt8mTN4Y7
The Basque coach stated that, despite recognising that FC Barcelona are favourites for the semi-final, his team are focused on giving their best to try to win the game: "We are going up against great rivals, but no one is going to dash our hopes. Luckily, in sport the favourites don't always win", added Arrasate.
In the same vein, David García assured that "they (Barcelona) are the favourites and the pressure is also all on them. We have to focus on our own game and I'm sure we can do it. It will be a great game".
❝Ha sido un proceso de 6 años, un proyecto de creer en las personas. Somos una familia y con nuestra ambición, trabajo y afición hemos alcanzado estas cotas❞
— RFEF (@rfef) January 10, 2024
🗣️ Jagoba Arrasate | @Osasuna#superSupercopa pic.twitter.com/VzP45kPDr8
Club Atlético Osasuna earned the right to be in this Super Cup after a great 2022/2023 season in which they reached the final of the Copa del Rey. The growth of the Navarran side has been exponential in the eyes of their captain: "If you told me 15 years ago I would have said you were crazy. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined all that I have achieved as an individual and Osasuna as a club. It's a dream to play a in Super Cup with my team".
❝Ni en mis mejores sueños me imagina todo lo que he conseguido a nivel individual y colectivo. Somos un equipo competitivo y sólido... y seguramente eso se refleje mañana en el campo❞
— RFEF (@rfef) January 10, 2024
🗣️ David García | @Osasuna#superSupercopa pic.twitter.com/bXk1GDKt3v
Finally, Jagoba Arrasate emphasised the desire with which his team goes into this exciting tournament: "Inexperience can be a disadvantage, but sometimes enthusiasm can make up for everything else. The first step to being able to win is to believe that you can".
❝El primer paso para poder ganar es pensar que puedes ganar❞
— RFEF (@rfef) January 10, 2024
🗣️ Jagoba Arrasate | @Osasuna#superSupercopa pic.twitter.com/VXN80jh2z0
After the press conference with the coach and captain, Osasuna headed off for their official pre-match training session at the Prince Faisal training ground in Riyadh.