Sarr, manager of Crystal Palace, attended the pre-match press conference ahead of Crystal Palace's Premier League fixture against Manchester City. Sarr provided updates on Amin Sarr, Shadi Riad, and new signing Disasi, and discussed the future of Mateta and external interest in Sarr. He also addressed the team's reaction following the defeat to Everton, the challenges posed by Haaland and Enzo Maresca's Manchester City, and his first official match in charge at Selhurst Park. Sarr also spoke about managing players during the transfer window, the differences between Cherki, Maresca, and Guardiola, and the atmosphere he expects for Friday night.

How are Amin Sarr and Shadi Riad recovering?

Amin Sarr is still doing individual training because his groin injury is very painful, so he didn't train with the team today. However, we will prepare him according to his recovery progress. Initially, I thought he would recover faster, but ultimately I'm not a doctor, so I can only wait for him and help him prepare to rejoin the team.

How is Riad? Have the test results come back? Any updates?

Currently, we still need another opinion from a specialist, because this type of injury makes it difficult to give a precise recovery timeline. So I prefer to wait first and then announce the official conclusion to everyone.

Is it possible that Sarr plays in Friday's match against Manchester City?

Sarr? No, it's impossible.

Pierre, what new insights have you gained about the team in recent days? The team lost your first match to Everton—how do you feel now? What have you learned?

The players are very frustrated, and I understand that. They know clearly what happened in the match, especially since everyone thought we should have scored in the first half. If we had, the course of the game could have been different. But football isn't just about deserving to win or deserving to score—you have to actually convert chances into goals. Football ultimately comes down to efficiency, and we weren't efficient enough in that moment. That's the result of the match. We need to improve our ability to create chances, and also improve our ability to score from those chances, so things can get better.

In recent weeks, you've repeatedly mentioned that Crystal Palace fans were an important reason for your decision to join the club. So how much are you looking forward to your first official match at Selhurst Park?

I think it will be a wonderful moment, but I'd prefer to enjoy that wonderful moment after the final whistle with good news. So right now, I won't think about myself. What matters most is the team and the result, because we've been preparing for this all week, hoping to make the fans happy. Of course, they'll be happy to see us, but I think they'd prefer to see us win.

We discussed Disasi last week, and now the signing has been officially confirmed. Why did you decide to sign him?

Now it's all official, which is good news for us, especially considering Shadi Riad's injury. That's exactly why he was brought in. He arrived at the club quickly, though we had to wait a bit before because, as I told you, negotiations were difficult. Finally, we reached an agreement with him and his club. So now he's ready and completed his first training session after joining today. We'll see if he can play, since he hasn't played official matches early in the season. But he's a footballer who knows his responsibilities. We have the opportunity to give him time and help him integrate into the team.

What qualities do you like about him?

Many. First, he can provide stability and help the team in this position, because we had injuries and wanted to add a player to the squad.

We may need to bring in another player for this position. But with Disasi, we'll continue to assess. He can give us confidence and bring experience. He has the ability to play out from the back and can also play in different defensive positions in a three-man defense. So for us, he's a good option.

In recent months, there's been a lot of reporting about Mateta and this club. Obviously, in January, his failed transfer to AC Milan was widely reported. The BBC also reported this weekend that he questioned the validity of his contract. I know Crystal Palace recognizes this contract, and he's currently officially registered as a Crystal Palace player. But have you spoken with him? Is he happy now? How do you see his situation?

I communicate with him every day. In front of me, he's good-humored and happy to be here. He gives his best in every training session. I haven't seen any problem between him and the club or with us. In the last match, he was in the starting lineup. You can imagine, if we had a problem with him, he wouldn't have started. Now there's just one issue that needs to be resolved, but to be more precise, this may be a personal matter for him rather than a player-related issue.

Is it easy to manage a situation like this?

He obviously hasn't refused to play, and he played last weekend. He's always been under contract with Crystal Palace. But it's clear that other things are happening behind the scenes.

How should this situation be handled? Do you want him to stay after the transfer window closes?

I think he will stay. As I told you, he acts like someone who is happy here, wants to stay here, and is ready to play the entire season for the team. So I understand your question, but I have no doubts about it.

I think I have a similar question about Amin Sarr. Just before we started the interview, there were reports that Liverpool had strong interest in him. When that happens, isn't it inevitably difficult to keep him when a big club like Liverpool is pursuing him?

I also understand that it's difficult for anyone facing such interest, because you naturally hesitate. But currently, he's still with us and still under contract. As I said, he's currently injured, and you might connect his injury with the current situation, but in my view, he's honest, and I don't have a problem with that. I spoke with him about this this morning and yesterday. We just want him back on the pitch and we'll let others handle other matters.

I won't go through different names one by one, but will it be difficult to hold onto these excellent players you have?

As I just mentioned, Sarr and Mateta have received clear, specific attention, and I know other clubs are also interested in other players.

Do you anticipate that Crystal Palace could lose some of these players and need to bring in others to replace them?

That's how football is now. We know that when the transfer window opens, there will be a lot of news and various situations involving players. Some players may feel uncomfortable with this situation, and agents and families are part of it. So when you're inside the club, this isn't a particularly good time. But once the transfer window closes, we just need to focus on our performance and hope all of this comes to an end.

Traduzido por IA.

O site do AF já está online! Acesse notícias completas, comentários, detalhes de partidas e estatísticas no seu computador. Acesse: www.allfootballapp.com