‘I am convinced that we are going to play the play-off final’
Iván Balliu, who acknowledges that the best version of Almería was not seen in Gerona, is optimistic about the second leg
‘I am convinced that we are going to play the play-off final for promotion to LaLiga Santander’; These were statements made by Iván Balliu, right-back of UD Almeria, on UDA Radio, the club's official station, as soon as the referee blew the whistle to end the game at Montilivi. In this sense he argued that ‘what we are playing for is so huge that we are going to give 110% to get promoted because as I have mentioned before…competing in the top flight changes your life.’
The 28-year-old right-back explained that ‘the result is open and we have ninety minutes to score a goal’, and added that ‘we have almost always scored at the Mediterraneo.’ Of course, he considered it essential not to concede any goal and have a good defensive coverage.
Balliu recognised that ‘our best version has not been seen in Gerona, but when we started to improve, they scored and we blame it. This is what has been happening to us throughout the season; whenever we concede a goal, we experience a sudden drop in our mood, although we are now at the moment of truth, we have to become stronger than ever and overcome this tie.’