Offsideplus.az presents that interview ...

- What is the situation in the Spanish championship: How has the current pandemic affected one of the most interesting leagues in the world?

- Of course, there were problems with the coronavirus. As a result of the pandemic that swept the world, the championship was suspended for a while, gyms were closed. At that time, we were doing video exercises. The head coach had set a specific time, and at that time we joined the training by computer and did the homework. Of course, it was difficult. After that, the halls opened and it was not easy to adapt. Currently, it is allowed to train in the gym once a day. The championship continues. A COVID-19 test is taken before each game. We use a mask. The matches are closed to fans. There are no problems with flights to other cities.

- Levante is in second place. Is the pandemic good for your team?

- We are well prepared and our team is gaining the best results in its history. We have won 7 games in a row and are in second place in the tournament table. In my opinion, the Spanish championship is the strongest race in the world. We also prove that we are a strong team with our results.

 Will you be able to decide at this stage until the end?

- I play in almost all games. We have a good chance, an excellent team. As I mentioned, our preparation was at a high level. Our desire is to qualify for the semifinals and finals. I believe that we will not miss this opportunity.

- You have been in Baku for 3 days and this time you are training under the leadership of Jose Alesio. You will face Slovakia in the qualifying round of the European Championship on January 29. What can you say about the national team's preparation for the match against Slovakia?

- I think we are ready. I understand that the number of exercises we do to fully realize what Alesio wants is small. However, we know the head coach well, we have trained and participated in games under his leadership in previous years. We will try to do the best we can so that the result is as we want.

- You, Rafael Vilela, regularly play in the Spanish championship. However, the members of "Araz" have not played in the last 11 months, except for the meeting with AEK. Feel the difference?

- It is a must for a futsal player to play. An official match is better than 5-6 training. Of course, not playing is not a good thing. This is not just about them, it is about the current situation. But I am sure that each player will help the team.

- You have played 2 matches against Slovakia in the last 3 years and a draw was recorded in the last duel. Will it be possible to defeat them next time in Baku Sports Palace?

- He is a good opponent, we even had a chance to play a friendly match. But if we play at home, we must win, regardless of who we are. Another result will not satisfy us. We also need to start with a good result so that we can continue to be successful.

- What do you think about the national team?

- We have one goal: to finish the race in the first place. We respect our competitors, but we must also achieve our goal.