Pepe Mel: 'Winning would be a relief and a way to ask for forgiveness'
The UD Almería head coach highlights in a press conference that his team wants close out the season by achieving what has not been achieved yet, which is winning at home
UD Almería head coach Pepe Mel looked ahead to the final game of the 2023/24 season, which will be played this Saturday against Cádiz CF in the Power Horse Stadium where the Rojiblancos have still not managed to win a match. Being able to do emerge victorious on home turf is the great objective.
As the Madrid native gaffer reflected: 'Adding the three points would be a relief for us and for the people, a piece. It'd be a way to apologise for the season. We have the great opportunity to take some satisfaction.'
Although the Rojiblancos have been mathematically in the Segunda Division for several weeks now. Two already-relegated Andalusian sides will be facing each other, but Pepe Mel assured that the final game 'will be exciting because it means getting out of a very difficult and negative situation. I don't know how Cádiz CF will come. I can speak for us and from the game against Getafe CF, when mathematically we were in the second tier, the situation was very complicated on an emotional level. Footballers are people and that's how we treat them. They've been through difficult times... and you have to support them like a father or a teacher. It's been an interesting journey because for me it's also been the first time even though I've been in football for so long. I reckon we've done our best; our image, especially away from home, has been good. We only lost one match. Now, as I said, we have to end this very negative streak of not having won still at home. And it's the last game, the last opportunity.'
Pepe Mel arrived to lead UD Almería in the last ten league games, but he was again asked about a possible continuity in the driving seat because with him the team would possibly have been out of relegation. He commented at the time that he would like to continue in Almería, but he was honest saying: 'If at this point UD Almería haven't showed their strengths, because I don't know, everyone has their times, but I'd be surprised very much that I continued here.'
The Madrid-born gaffer expressed his gratitude for the Club, for the employees, although he would have liked to have been able to contribute more despite the difficult situation given when he arrived and the many things that have changed for the better.