Julen Lopetegui insists Wolves still have plenty of work ahead of them if they are to confirm their Premier League safety, starting with the visit to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon.
Despite taking a big step towards survival with their victory against Crystal Palace at Molineux on Tuesday night, the head coach insists he is not looking at the table and will continue to push his players to get as many points as possible between now and the end of the season.
On not stopping yet
“We have worked a lot and we have to work much more if we are to achieve our aims in the future because we are in the middle of the battle, we continue, and this is all.
“We are in the middle of the battle and we’re still going to need a lot of points, as do the rest of the teams. We have a lot of hard work in front of us and we have to be ready to compete with a better mentality and be ready to compete against a very good team.
“Now, the first step is Brighton, this is our third match in one week, so we have to be aware about how and the right players to play in the next match because the first match is always different to the second match and the players could be showing more tiredness, so we have to be aware of this, but always thinking about being able to compete with them.
“We are thinking about how we have to approach the next match against, in my opinion, one of the best teams now playing football in the world, in Brighton. They play in a different way than the rest of the teams and they are very good.
— Wolves (@Wolves) April 27, 2023
On the threat of Brighton
“They attack in a different way and they are able to play with a big consistency with the ball with different solutions in different parts of the pitch and they are showing that they enjoy playing in this way, all the players and the coaches – it’s about the fantastic work of De Zerbi and the fantastic players playing football.
“It’s not only in the offensive phase but in the defensive phase they are a very good team too, so this is a challenge, a very big challenge for us, and a chance for us to go there with the aim and the spirit to fight and compete with them.”
On fighting until the end of the season
“You have to work hard to win each match. Football is very simple. It’s not mathematics. Thinking about the future is for the journalists, but for us, we can only think in the next training session, in the daily work, and put our focus in the pitch, in the next match and nothing more.”
On Costa’s impact at Molineux
“Diego has showed since I’ve been here that he wants to compete. He’s a very competitive player. He’s not here on his holidays and thinking about something else; he’s here to help the team.
“Sometimes it’s not going to be easy for him because sometimes he was out of the pitch and out of the squad list too, but he continued working and fighting and now he’s playing more.
“He has to continue that fight because it’s about the internal competition and daily work here. We’re happy with him and he has to continue helping us.”
Frazer knew! 🔮
— Wolves (@Wolves) April 25, 2023
A pre-match prediction with @LeminaM_13. pic.twitter.com/5YdeRfZHtf
On Frazer inspiring the players and fans
“He’s been a great signing for the club! I love a lot when the players are involved in this kind of initiatives and situations with the kids, above all.
“Football allows you to help a lot of people; children, older people, people with disabilities, and you have to accept that with our position, this is the power that football allows you to have and you can help a lot of people. This is why I love a lot when our players get involved in these situations.”
