Carlos Corberán claims that both Sheffield Wednesday and his West Bromwich Albion club have a lot to “fight” for in their matchup on Saturday.
With two games left, the Baggies are three points ahead of Hull City in seventh position. They are aware that a win at Hillsborough could theoretically guarantee them a berth in the Sky Bet Championship play-offs.
With their 3-1 victory over relegation rivals Blackburn Rovers last weekend, the Owls moved out of the bottom three for the first time since the first day of the season. As a result, they are currently one point and one spot above the drop zone going into this weekend’s matchup.
Given the stakes, Corberán acknowledges that this is a major game for both teams and maintains that neither can afford to treat their opponents lightly.
“For a whole bunch of various reasons, we cannot underestimate Sheffield Wednesday, and they cannot underestimate us,” the manager stated.
“They can’t undervalue us because we’re working hard to attain a result that will move us closer to our goal of making it into the playoffs.
“They will fight to acquire the outcome that moves them closer to their goal, which is to remain in the Championship, so we cannot undervalue them.
“Both teams are playing for very high goals, and they will both do all in their power to reach them.
“The standings shows West Bromwich Albion in fifth place and Sheffield Wednesday in twenty-first place.
On the other hand, if the table were based on the previous 25 games, they would have only lost by three points to us.
This indicates that despite having a slow start to the league earlier in the season, they are one squad that is playing well. They are a very competitive team that is currently enjoying great success.
This season, Sheffield Wednesday had lost all 15 of their games in all competitions before the arrival of 34-year-old German Danny Rohl, who has helped turn the team’s fortunes around.
The Owls enter this weekend’s game riding a four-game winning streak (W2, D2). They have only lost one of their last nine home games.
Although Rohl’s playing career ended while he was still a young player, he continued to be involved in the sport as an analyst for the youth teams of RB Leipzig. He then joined the coaching staffs of Southampton, Bayern Munich, and the German national team.
Wednesday is functioning well under Corberán, who claims it’s no “coincidence” that they have followed a similar path to management.
“Danny Rohl, their coach, has experience leading teams at the highest levels in Europe.
“He has been with Germany, he has assisted Southampton in the Premier League, and he has helped Bayern Munich win the Champions League.
His path is comparable to mine in that he began as a coach and analyst, worked as an assistant, and eventually rose to the position of manager. I was the physical coach and he was the analyzer.
“In an effort to advance in this world, we have both tried to be the best football players we can be.
The fact that they can now accomplish their goal of remaining in the Championship is no coincidence. It’s a result of his labor, his skill as a coach, and the quality of the athletes he works with.
Some coaches become managers after spending many years as professional football players. A case in point is Xabi Alonso. This season, he’s most likely been the best coach.
Others must arrive in various ways. Being able to showcase your strengths when the time is right is what matters most.
The Owls and Baggies will face off in front of a sell-out crowd, with 2,400 fans predicted to support Corberán’s team in Yorkshire.
On Saturday afternoon, the Spaniard is looking forward to a “great atmosphere” and expects his players can flourish there.
“We are aware that the environment in which we will perform will be spectacular. We are going to experience on Saturday an environment similar to what one could anticipate from a play-off game.
“We know they’ve climbed out of the bottom three for the first time since August and are in a position where they can get closer to ensuring survival. This is their final home game.
We know the atmosphere is going to be incredible since one victory will push us a lot closer to our goal.
“We enjoy playing in these environments. It’s what makes football so unique, and we can’t wait to play.
“Just because we performed so well in our previous game does not guarantee that we will perform well in this one as well.
We must approach the game with the proper mindset and not become complacent or assume that just because we performed well at Leicester, good things will happen. It is something we must work for and earn.
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