Tajonar, Spain (Friday, May 25, 2024) – Head coach Jagoba Arrasate addressed the media before tomorrow's LaLiga EA Sports season finale at El Sadar and his last game at the team's helm. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. CET (1 p.m. BST/8 a.m. ET). During the press conference, he said, "I am excited. I want it to be natural like the last six years have been. The affection people have shown will make it hard at an emotional level, but I try to be calm about it and live in the moment. It is a unique moment, and I am thankful to all the fans. In the end, we are people, too. The numbers will reflect what was accomplished in the field because they are more tangible and can be measured. However, I will take the other part. The affection from the fans, when we arrived, we were excited and hoping it would work out, but we never imagined how it turned out. We are incredibly thankful."

"The mood is much better now. We have earned points in the last three games. The last two road matches were great, especially the last one at Metropolitano – given how it played out and the opponent, it boosted our self-confidence, making this a different week. At our last home match, we want to validate what we did the other day and get another win," He added. "Beyond finishing the season on a high note, it will help us move up in the standings. I think or want to believe we are doing good. We played a great game in our last match, which helped us take on this week in a different mood. The players know this is the finale, so we must make one last effort like always. We had a good training session; we will meet at the hotel, play a good game tomorrow, try to win, and hope to see the best version of the team against a team that has done a great second round- especially on the road they have won Montjuic against Girona, in Anoeta… It will be a complicated match but a good one, too."

Regarding Villarreal, who got a 4-4 draw against Real Madrid, he said, "I think it makes a good case for Villarreal's season. They can score many goals; they have done 64. They have talent, arguments, and concepts; they are well organized in the attack… However, their Achilles heel is that they concede many goals, too. Knowing the coach they have, they know what they have to improve, and I think Villarreal next year will end higher in the standings because offensively, they will continue on the same path, and defensively, it will likely be different."

"A little overwhelming? Yes. I have noticed this for the last six years, for which I am thankful. It might have looked excessive sometimes, but this week, it hits harder, especially in Tajonar. El Sadar is like home, but Tajonar is the dinner table. The academy's recognition yesterday with 'Grada Social' or those who have come, I am thankful and overwhelmed, and I want to pay back all the affection. When you decide this, you try not to force things and then see it go wrong. I must leave knowing I can visit Pamplona in two months and be excited about it. That is crucial. I will never forgive myself for not wanting to be back in Pamplona. I leave at a moment that when I hear Osasuna, I will smile. Tomorrow will be unique because I have had a special connection with El Sadar. My friends and family will be there, making it memorable," he added.