Baraja: “We have to be at the highest level against Atletico Madrid” | OneFootball

“It is important to explain things. Our fans have to know what has happened and how we have acted in a situation that we logically would have liked not to have happened. The situation occurred in two moments: The episode with Rafa occurs and the club had to evaluate what decision to take. It is a Club decision in which I cannot and should not participate, because my role is the sporting side, and the club decided to readmit him to the group. Once that readmission occurs, I took action when it comes to evaluating the situation we have experienced. I have to evaluate what the consequences of this situation are. From there, the decision was made that he will be out of the team for 2 games. This week, he is training separately and next week he will rejoin the group. Once these 2 games are over, he will be part of the group and I will decide whether he plays or not. Throughout this process there have been situations in which it is very difficult to make a decision that everyone might like, but we have tried to do things with common sense. He initially apologised to the squad, spoke to the team and said that his behaviour was not appropriate -and that he accepts the punishment imposed. As a coach, I think that an act of indiscipline has to have consequences; not only for him, but for the health of the group. This gives us the opportunity to understand that a person can make a mistake, can have a day when he does not do things well and we have to give him a second chance.”

There is great disappointment, at least on my part, because in the end I have to accept that I valued that Rafa could be a player who could give us solutions in attack. I have transmitted this to Rafa, that it has been a great disappointment, but I hope that it has served to make him learn, to value where he is and see how important it is here to do things well, at least while I am here. This is my perception of the situation. But also, I believe we are  people and we have to give him the possibility to make us trust him again.”

“I am not going to talk about assumptions. I respect the judicial process and you cannot know what is going to happen. You have to be respectful with the process and depending on what happens, we will decide.”

“It is a situation in which we do not know what will happen. What is evident is that the most important thing for us is respect for people, be it women or men. I am, absolutely, against any type of aggression, be it physical or sexual. But on the other hand, there is a situation at a judicial level of which we cannot enter into an assessment and which, at the moment, gives us the possibility of not knowing what a judge will decide.”