Lopetegui | 'To feel this pressure is a good thing'

30th March 2023

Julen Lopetegui has called on his players to revel in the important games ahead of his side during the home straight of the Premier League season, starting at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The Spaniard spoke of the hard work his group put in following his arrival to be in a position to compete for Premier League survival, and now wants to see the right maturity and mentality to see the job through during the run-in. Wolves travel to the City ground on Saturday knowing the task ahead of them and Lopetegui believes the pressure of big football matches is a good thing his players should embrace.

On relishing the challenge

“Each match is a challenge to show your best. Of course, the demand is going to be high for both teams. Of course, they play at home, but we have to enjoy the moment and take advantage of this moment. To think it’s a pleasure to play these kinds of matches and be ready to do your best. Do your best and work hard for the team and after believe in yourself. I think in our profession, we are privileged to have the possibility to play these kind of matches, when you are fighting for important things.”

On the Premier League run in

“To feel a challenge, to have these kinds of matches, to feel this pressure, is a good thing for us because we were fighting very hard three months ago to have this possibility. From this moment to have this mentality is very important, in the same way show maturity, show we are happy to have this challenge in front of us, and be ready to play football. Resilience is a good strength for any player, any team. It’s about being ready to compete, to be ready to do your best.

“For me, the most important is the maturity, this mentality, more than important the tactics sometimes. There are a lot of teams involved in the race, so we have to put the focus on ourselves, in our team, in our strengths. All the opponents are fantastic teams, but above all we have to put the focus on us.”

#NFOWOL

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On reacting to recent defeats

“We always have a positive mentality, knowing each match is one challenge, difficult, but in the same way a challenge. The most important thing is showing a strong mentality. It’s about how you react when you’ve lost, how you react when you don’t have the good moments, we have to be ready. This is going to be a very hard fight until the end, but always looking at only the next match. The next match is Nottingham Forest and all our attention is on this match.

“To get points, you have to do a lot of things in a good way. You have to compete well, you have to defend well, counter attack well, have a big demand and focus at each moment of the match and be ready to compete. Then in the end it’s going to be about points, of course.”

On the treatment room

“Bouba [Traore] is working normally. He’s ready to be in our choices, he’s worked well and is one player more for us. Hugo [Bueno] is better, he has worked the last week well, but Hee Chan [Hwang] is out, he hasn’t arrived for this match, he’s better, but he’s not ready for this match. Nelson [Semedo] has worked normally, he had problems at the start of the week, but now he’s ready.”

On facing Forest

“We are aware of the kind of match we’re going to find in front of us. We know Nottingham Forest, they have a very good team, and above all are at home. It’s a challenge for us and we are fighting. Three months ago, we were working very hard to have these kinds of matches. We have to be ready for the high demand we have to have in the next match.

“They are very competitive not only physically, but tactically and technically. They have very good players, they have invested a lot of money in the summer, and after they are very clear what they want. You think you have things under control, but at any moment they can damage you because they have quality players, very fast players. We have to be ready, we have to put the focus on our strengths, have a very positive mentality, and look forward with positive thoughts.”