EXCLUSIVE: Omar Mascarell on Mallorca's chances against Athletic in the Copa del Rey final
In this interview with Flashscore's Jose Luis Gual, Mascarell speaks about his side's chances against final favourites Athletic Bilbao.
How are you feeling ahead of the Copa del Rey final in Seville?
"It's a different week, you can feel the atmosphere wherever you go, you can feel the excitement of the people, of the club, of all of us and we are really looking forward to the day. It could be a historic moment for all of us, we have to enjoy it very much because you never know when we will experience it again and we are confident that we can win the trophy."
There has been emphasis in the media and among the fans on remembering Mallorca's last and only Copa del Rey win back in 2003 in Elche against Recreativo Huelva.
"Absolutely. That is what has been most remembered this week, that great final in which Mallorca could have won the trophy. It has to give us strength and positivity to know that it can be achieved, that once upon a time it happened.
"Hopefully, this story will be written with the same ending, it would be very good for the players, the club and all those who support us, who are going to travel to Seville to give their all for us. I hope the title comes to Mallorca."
The huge movement of fans to Seville, a spectacular stadium, a cup rival like Athletic. It's a party that you have earned with a lot of effort and hard work, right?
"Yes, absolutely. When you look at the process, the path we've taken in the Cup I think has been very good, but it's been tough. Especially from the round of 16 onwards, when things got more serious.
"The team has performed very well in the Cup, whoever has played has covered the absences and has continued to perform to reach a final, which is not easy. Hopefully, it will have a happy ending. Finals are played to win them, to leave everything in that game."
Have you been thinking about the final for a long time or does the coach (Javier Aguirre) not allow it?
"If it were up to him, no, he wouldn't allow it. He's pretty strict about that because the league is very important. We are in a situation that is not entirely comfortable and we can't get distracted.
"This week is a total Copa, it's a week to enjoy. We've earned it to the maximum. It's something we have to live it to the full, we live it with the illusion of winning the title and I think we can do it."
You've already won a German Cup but with Eintracht. Is Saturday's game perhaps the most important of your career, though?
"Yes, until this year I would have told you the final with Frankfurt. I never imagined reaching a cup final again because in football everything changes so fast that you never know.
"I like to live in the present. Right now I would say yes, it's one of the most important games of my career, if not the most important and you have to take it as such. You have to enjoy it because this is football. I'm looking forward to Saturday."
What would you say to those who think Athletic are favourites for the final?
"The truth is that I don't mind at all, also because of the experience I had in Germany. We played Bayern in the final, nobody believed in us, only our fans and ourselves and it's the same story again.
"We don't care about anything because we are going to give our all and we are going to use our weapons. Inside we know that we can do it, we have 100% confidence in ourselves and we are going to go for the title."
Will it be a very tactical affair?
"In a final, the margin for error is even smaller, you can't afford anything. One goal can completely change the game and mean you can't come back from behind. It's important not to make mistakes at the start, you'll feel the tension of the game and we're a very tactical team, very hard-working, who concede very little to our opponents.
"We have to use these strong weapons 100%. We have to play a perfect game and let's hope that we do."
'We don't want a crazy game'
Would you be interested in a long game, a final that could go beyond the 90 minutes or is that perhaps too much speculation?
"Let it happen the way it has to happen, I prefer to have already won during the 90 minutes. Of course, I'd prefer it not to be a crazy game, as it doesn't suit us. We're a very good defensive team and I think a long game would be good for us.
"We'll see how it goes, but the idea is to compete to the maximum, to know what our weapons are, to carry them out and to trust that we can do it."
Are the main concerns regarding Athletic the Williams brothers?
"Yes, but they are a very in-form team, because as well as having very good players, they have a lot of quality. Apart from the Williams brothers (Nico and Inaki), on a collective level, the intensity they put in, the pressure they put on the opposition means that you can make mistakes when you don't want to.
"And then the wingers they have in the Williams brothers, they are players you can't give the slightest bit to because they are very quick and can hurt you at any moment."
'We have to do what has got us this far'
Do you visualise being fortunate enough to score or take a penalty or would you prefer not to?
"We can't make mistakes, we have to do the same thing that got us here and not change anything, that has to be our idea. What I want is to be 100% for whatever the coach needs. If it comes to penalties, I'll be the first to raise my hand to take them, and if we win before then, all the better.
"But I'm ready for whatever happens because this is football, it's a unique experience and I want to live it to the full, without thinking about mistakes or anything else, but to enjoy it and to go to the end with this team that deserves a trophy."