Mallorca vs Celta Vigo preview - Manzano hypes up crucial battle

Posted Monday, April 15, 2013 by PA

Real Mallorca coach Gregorio Manzano has underlined the importance of Monday's relegation six-pointer against Celta Vigo.

The islanders are bottom of the Primera Division table but level on points with the Galicians and the coach explained that his team have no other option than to take all three points.

He told reporters: "This is the first final of the season, against a relegation rival. Given the situation we are in we can't view the game in any other way other than a match in which everything is at stake.

"We have to give everything in this one-off, massive game, without thinking about anything else. This is the game, it's a final, we are playing at home and we have to approach it head on."

Manzano is hoping his side will put in a more intense and aggressive performance than the one they produced at Camp Nou last weekend, when they lost 5-0 to Barcelona.

Instead, he is calling on his players to show the same effort from their last league victory, over Sevilla in March.

He said: "You can't go to Camp Nou and only get your first yellow card after 70 minutes, that's plain stupid. And when you do stupid things in games, you normally get walked all over.

"But anyway, it is in the past, and now we have to show the spirit that teams need to show if they are to stay in the Primera Division.

"We had this spirit against Sevilla - a spirit of collective work and intensity, while staying concentrated and knowing how to manage matches. That's the only way we will stay up."

Finally, Manzano urged his team to win on behalf of the fans that filled the Iberostar Stadium for their last home match, against Deportivo, only to see their side lose 3-2.

"We have two tasks on Monday," he added. "Win the game and thank our fans for the effort they made in the last game [against Deportivo].

"They turned up to support us but we let them down. On Sunday we have to win for the sake of the club and for everyone else."

Celta boss Abel Resino had a similar all-or-nothing message for his players.

He told a press conference: "We all know that this is a vital game, and we have just one choice - to win, to win, or to win.

"We can't spare a single minimum effort and the squad knows that there is still time to recover what we have lost."

He also called on his team to play with their heads as well as their hearts.

He added: "With all the stress that being in this position produces, we will have to keep as cool a head as possible because the team that manages their nerves and anxieties the best will be the one that takes home the bacon."