Valverde: Second Half Has Been A Disaster

Espanyol's poor run of form has left them with little more than pride to play for in their penultimate game away to Villarreal on Sunday, but Valverde believes they need to end the season on a positive note.

"There has been little time since the last defeat but we must look ahead," he told reporters at the pre-match press conference.

"We have two matches left and we are not challenging for the things we wanted, but it is still important to have pride in ourselves. The points might not mean as much, but it is our intention to fight until the end."

Only Murcia currently have a worse record than Espanyol in the second half of the season and Valverde admits that he has to take the lion's share of the responsibility for that.

"The team achieved an excellent first half, but the second has been a disaster and I am the one in charge," he affirmed.

Villarreal secured their top two finish in midweek and although their opponents have little to play for, Valverde is still expecting a tough encounter.

"We face the team that are second in the league and do so with problems in defence and with a certain insecurity. We must be united," he asserted.

"We have slightly more at stake, surely, than Villarreal. They have already secured their league place and come into the game on a high. They are a dangerous rival because they will play with extra freedom and that could create problems for us."


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