Espanyol midfielder Joan Verdú believes that the team should shoulder most of the responsibility, for poor results and the sacking of Pochettino.

Speaking ahead of the Copa del Rey match against Sevilla on Wednesday night, Joan Verdú suggested that the players are responsible for “a lot of the blame for what is happening, if not all.”

“I’m one-hundred percent convinced we can save Espanyol.” He continued, but admitted that “we can’t fool anyone, we’re going through a rough patch and we will work to overcome it. We’re looking forward to changing the situation and fighting.”

Without knowing who will be the next manager, Verdú added that whoever arrives, they “will find a very involved squad, who knows they must fight now more than ever. We must break a cycle that isn’t at all favourable to us.”

“Unity in the changing room” is key according to the midfielder, who concluded that “we have to reverse this situation.”

3-1 down from the first-leg of their tie with Sevilla, Verdú believes the second-leg tie at home “could be a good match for us. The tie is still open.”

Latest reports suggest that negotiations for Pochettino’s replacement at the helm of Espanyol, are still ongoing. Former Atlético Madrid manager Javier Aguirre and Marcelino García Toral, who was last at Sevilla, are the current front-runners for the post.

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