Iñigo Pérez sees Mestalla derby as a chance to bounce back from Anfield defeat

“I’m from Pamplona, and Aguirre was a reference for me when I was a child,” Iñigo Pérez said. The coach also described the derby at Mestalla as an ideal opportunity to respond after the defeat at Anfield. He hopes his team can recover from that loss at Mestalla.

Pérez expects a “tight” game and spoke about the influence of Javier Aguirre, whom he has regarded as a reference since childhood. His remarks about the derby therefore combine the immediate importance of the result with a longstanding admiration for Aguirre.

Preparation will also depend on the condition of players carrying knocks. “The coaching staff must be more precise in managing pain,” Pérez said, adding that they need to assess how some players are feeling. He confirmed that Carlos Romero will not be in Valencia. Saliba’s availability remains uncertain after he felt discomfort in Liverpool.

Reflecting on the defeat in Liverpool, the coach said his first reaction was “anger” and stressed the need to review the game fairly. He believes his team had clear chances in both halves, but conceded twice during a spell he did not consider dominated by the opposition. That sequence, he acknowledged, affected the players mentally at half-time. He wants to recognise the positives while focusing on what must improve.

Pérez said a derby is never an ordinary match and welcomed the chance to play at Mestalla after Anfield. He sees the fixture as a source of hope following the defeat. He also noted that the season is still long: the match will matter to the winner, but will not decide what follows on its own.

The coach also discussed managing workloads in light of match intensity, playing volume and international commitments, as well as the manager’s decisions. On Aguirre, he praised his ability to make aggression a defining feature of his teams. Pérez believes both sides understand the atmosphere and that once the match begins, the players make it their own. For him, a win would be important for his team’s momentum after a defeat that interrupted an otherwise positive spell.