Racing Santander coach refuses to throw in the towel against Barcelona: ‘We have to dig deep’

Racing Santander coach refuses to throw in the towel against Barcelona: ‘We have to dig deep’ Racing Santander will arrive at Spotify Camp Nou as clear underdogs, but Jose Alberto has made it clear that his side has no intention of simply accepting defeat against Barcelona. The Racing coach knows the size of the challenge facing his players, particularly with Hansi Flick’s side in strong form , yet the occasion itself is something his squad has long dreamed about.  For Jose Alberto, that ambition has to translate into courage rather than caution, although he feels facing Barcelona is “something we have dreamed of since we were kids.”   “We have a mission that we’ve all dreamt of since we were children: to play on stages like the one tomorrow.  “It’s a very difficult fixture given the situation Barça are in at the moment, but we’re going to try to be brave, distinctive and daring – though we know we’re going to have to dig deep,” began Racing’s manager. Racing remember pushing Barça hard There is recent history between the clubs, with Racing still remembering their Copa del Rey meeting against Barcelona.  Jose Alberto is aware of the threat Barcelona pose. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) That contest gave the Cantabrian side belief that they could compete with the Catalan giants, although Jose Alberto does not expect the same type of encounter this time. “It won’t be anything like that; that was a 90-minute tie, and this is a league match.” The Racing boss is under no illusion about what awaits his players. Rather than focusing solely on Barcelona’s individual stars, he highlighted the collective intensity that makes Flick’s team so difficult to contain. Flick’s pressing creates a major problem Jose Alberto believes Barcelona possess enough attacking quality to punish any defensive mistake, but it is their reaction immediately after losing possession that particularly concerns him. “Offensively, they have every weapon at their disposal to hurt you, and defensively they overwhelm you with intense pressure after you lose the ball. “It feels as though they never give you a moment’s respite, and that’s what sets them apart from other teams of similar calibre. We have to be very alert, especially when we lose the ball,” he said. Jose Alberto has nothing but praise for Barcelona. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) That points towards one of Racing’s biggest challenges: surviving Barcelona’s pressure without abandoning their attacking identity. Jose Alberto demands collective discipline Racing cannot afford to defend passively if they want to stay competitive, according to their coach.  The excitement of playing at Camp Nou, meanwhile, has not changed Jose Alberto’s expectations, as he knows Racing must turn the occasion into an opportunity rather than merely enjoying the spectacle. “The game almost always goes the way they want it to.  “We have to perform at a high level as a team, putting in the effort and supporting one another, and defensively we must try to defend as far away from our goal as possible,” he concluded.  Source: AS