Julen Lopetegui, during the farewell ceremony for Sevilla. /
Destitute
«The stage in Seville has been the one that has penetrated the most in my heart; I remain with everyone’s affection”, the Basque coach proudly proclaims in his farewell press conference for the Seville bench
“I leave without any resentment. I can only have words of thanks”, Julen Lopetegui proclaimed this Thursday, hours after being officially dismissed as coach of Sevilla, although the decision had already been made a long time ago and he was personally informed of his dismissal after the thrashing he suffered at the Pizjuán against Borussia Dortmund (1-4), after the club had negotiated with Jorge Sampaoli and the Argentine coach agreed to relieve the Basque coach. “I don’t want to insist on how the last few days have been. I received the notification that I am no longer coach of the club yesterday after the game », insisted Lopetegui, without wanting to blame the leaders of the Seville entity for the way of managing his dismissal. On the contrary. Behaving like a gentleman in his last appearance at the Sevilla stadium, in such hard times for him and his family.
Lopetegui, “one more Sevilla player for life”, wanted to thank all the players, club workers, fans, “and also the president and the entire council”. «I take the best that one can take, the recognition and friendship of many of you. The respect of the players and my fans », he declared proudly, who remains, above all, « with the affection of all ». «I think I am a chosen one for having been able to live all these moments. It will always be my club. I have no other acknowledgment other than to thank, “added the Gipuzkoan coach.
«This is the stage as a coach that has pierced my heart the most. It’s a special feeling”, he underlined, after he was moved on Wednesday night on the Pizjuán lawn and tears were released before a stand standing up to applaud him and say goodbye as he deserved who has been three and a half seasons in the Sevilla’s bench, has directed 170 games and has won the Europa League. «In the Seville-Lopetegui binomial there are many people. I don’t want to leave anyone. Everyone has done their bit and between all of us we have tried to make Sevilla a little bigger”, pointed out who is convinced that the team “is going to reverse the situation and return to the place it deserves”.
«I wanted to be part of history and it is something that fills me with pride. It is something that we take with us forever,” insisted who said goodbye to his former soccer players on Wednesday night, “who are the ones who make coaches good, better or worse.” “I told them that I trusted them, that there is still time to achieve very nice things”, revealed Lopeteguim, who before his last press conference in Nervión received a beautiful tribute from the Seville club through a video with stellar moments of his career as coach of Sevilla.
