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Getafe clinched a surprise win over Barcelona on Saturday in slightly controversial circumstances, with visiting manager Ronald Koeman accusing Getafe player Allan Nyom of disrespect. However, the forward and winner of the match, Jaime Mata, insisted that it was the frustration of defeat speaking.
Mata scored the winning goal from the penalty spot and spoke to the press after the game to defend his teammate, insisting it was nothing out of the ordinary.
“I haven’t had a chance to speak to Nyom,” Mata replied.
“Koeman was a player before he became a coach and on the field we say a lot of things out of context and nonsense. We all have the skill and the maturity to know that these things are said on the field.
“If you say Nyom said something to you, I’m sure you said something to Nyom. They are things that stay in the field.
“In the end that’s what happens. When you lose, you usually look to blame other people, but it happens to all of us. When you lose, you look the other way, but you have to look at our work.”
The victory was clearly memorable for Getafe, after a Real Sociedad win the last time, and Mata just wanted the Getafe fans to be there to assimilate it.
“We woke up and talked about how it is a shame not to be able to enjoy this with the fans,” he said.
“They are special games and it’s a shame not to share them with your people.”
The forward was also keen to ensure the azulones were given credit for their performance, refusing to attribute the result to Barcelona’s poor form.
“It is true that Barcelona was not good, but you have to give credit to Getafe that it was good,” he insisted.
“Many times we were at the top and that is why we won. More than discrediting our opposition, it is our merit.
“Against the great teams you always have extra motivation because not all of us work under the same conditions.”
It was Mata’s goal that decided the tie, converting from the penalty spot after a foul by Frenkie de Jong, having missed the last time he took a penalty, in the heartbreaking defeat on the last day against Levante that cost him Getafe a place in the Europa League.
“It was liberating,” he admitted.
“When you take a penalty you expose yourself. The last time I did not convert and you wait for it to happen again to get rid of the fear and feel safe again. In that sense I felt confident.”
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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