Javier Aguirre hit out at his Espanyol side for allowing talk of Europe to mess up their performance levels.
The Catalans have enjoyed a turnaround in form under their Mexican Coach, surging out of the relegation zone to the comfort of mid-table.
However, the suggestion in recent weeks that it could progress to European qualification is, as Aguirre sees things, the reason why the team followed up a 1-0 home defeat to Granada with a clear 3-0 loss at Sevilla on Sunday.
“When we had our League survival in hand I could hear in the hallways, around the environment, that we were then talking about Europe and we have since messed up,” declared the Coach after Sunday’s defeat.
“And sure enough it has been fulfilled. I hope that the next few League games will not see us drop in performance.
“We continue to lose opportunities to do a better campaign than that which is already very good.
“Our last two results have complicated life, this team has made difficult what was very easy and now we must step up, we are not performing.
“In the last 20 games we have managed to score more points than Athletic and score the same number of goals. But in this game we were not that team. I did not recognise my team. It starts with the technical approach, because I’m the one who choose the eleven that play and tells them what to do and what not to do.
“What I have told the players will stay in the dressing room as it should do.
“The tone of these words is not to lose our identity, which has allowed us to watch Mallorca, Celta and Zaragoza on the television, relaxed.”
