Iñigo Pérez: "We're still excited about the win over AEK, but..."

Iñigo Pérez has emphasized the need for absolute focus on domestic league commitments, aiming to keep his Rayo Vallecano players locked in on their upcoming clash with Mallorca.

Despite holding a strong advantage for a Conference League semi-final spot after their emphatic 3-0 victory over AEK, the Spanish coach made it clear that attention must now be solely on La Liga.

Pérez acknowledged that the euphoria from their European win could be a distraction, but he stressed that tomorrow's league match is the absolute priority for achieving the club's objectives. Specifically, he stated:

"There are still remnants of the excitement and what we experienced with AEK, and it's easy to dwell on that and immediately think about the return leg in Athens. But I believe it's important to focus on tomorrow's game because, clichés aside, I think it's crucial for achieving our goal. It's important tomorrow to put aside any thoughts that might lead us to the Athens rematch, as usually happens, and concentrate on Mallorca."

The Rayo coach also provided an update on his starting goalkeeper, Augusto Batalla, who is racing against time to be fit for upcoming matches after sustaining an injury. Pérez noted: "Augusto pushed himself in the second half, and we are monitoring his recovery."