Real Oviedo striker Alfredo Ortuño today appeared in the Press Room at El Requexón, following yesterday's victory over Mirandés.
What did you make of the Mirandés match? How did you feel about the team's performance?
- It was a hard, very even match. We played against a high-scoring team, who put you under a lot of pressure, but we put in a very professional performance. It was an even match, just like all the rest we have left.
Yesterday the team gave the impression of having more drive to win than in other matches. Did you notice more of an urgency to win?
- The hunger is the same in every match, it's always the same, but the urgency gives you a little bit extra. It was a 'final' and we had to come through it. We have to use the Mirandés match as a reference point.
Does winning in such a hard-fought way strengthen the team's morale, despite the nervy ending?
- We are going to suffer in every match, we aren't going to win any easily. All of the matches are even and I hope that we don't have to depend on results elsewhere.
After the victory, Ziganda commented that you had to enjoy this suffering, because there are 5 matches left on a knife edge. How does a player manage to enjoy it, despite the pressure and everything at stake?*
- It's difficult to answer. It's time to stick together and know how to suffer together to achieve our objective.
You scored another key penalty yesterday, just as you did against Zaragoza and Rayo earlier in the season. Do you get used to taking on that type of spot kick?
- It's a role that I'm happy with and feel comfortable in. I've scored all of the penalties I've taken this season, and I hope to continue in that way.
The team has picked itself back up after a difficult moment. Could it be a turning point to securing survival?
- We've taken a step forward since the Coach came in. It's been difficult to beat Oviedo and we've kept clean sheets. It's a step forward.
The return to competition is seeing almost all the teams rotate their squad a lot. Ziganda is doing it a lot too, especially in attack. How does a striker deal with so much change up front?*
- My job is to play when the Coach tells me to, to be available for him.
Have you looked at your rivals' run-in or is not worth it? Will 50 points be necessary, or do you think less could be enough?
- We are going to need fifty points. The fixture list which interests me is ours. I don't want us to rely on other results.
How do you approach the trip to face the league leaders? Do you think it will possible to surprise the automatic promotion candidates?*
- There are surprises, and we are going to try to cause one.
