Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola spoke with the media prior to this week's collision with Manchester City.
The cherries are confronted with a city side that was beaten in the FA Cup final and will now do a place for a place in the Champions League next season in what will be a very tough game.
City has a 100% winning record against Bournemouth in Premier League Home Games, which triumph seven times from seven times while Iraola tries to break that record and climb the table.
The impact of the FA Cup
The Spanish head coach spoke for the first time about the meaning of the FA Cup final and if it will influence its approach.
“Even if it means that we now have fewer opportunities to be eligible for Europe, I think we should congratulate Palace because a team that is not the six/eight teams are fighting for titles that win a title such as the FA Cup is good for the competition and for football.”
Iraola is happy for Huijsen and wishes him the best
He then opened Real Madrid when Dean Huijsen loses and admitted that he is happy for the young defender who will leave for £ 50 million.
“Yes, I think for someone who is only 20, I think he has managed these situations pretty well. I have not noticed anything in training. He is the first to end this season well.
“He pushes and he is ready to play these two games. Of course you never want to lose these kinds of players because he has been very good for us. But there is also a part that you feel happy for him because he goes to Real Madrid, I think it's what he really wanted to do.
“And of course we hope that everything will go well for him after these two games. And I think it was very natural. He has not lost any training sessions.
“Everyone, I think, has acted very naturally. And for the club there was clearly a chance that this could happen. And it also gives the club time to be on the market now to prepare for the following season.
“And that is generally the feeling that we have.”
Bournemouth cannot replace Huijsen
Iraola also revealed that he does not think that the club can replace him if they are preparing to enter the transfer market in an attempt to find someone of similar quality.
“No, we will probably not find the same player.
“We will have to find other players. At least the signing has been very, very early, even without starting the market.
“I would say it is a bit strange in this situation, but the club gives time to prepare for the following season and we will have to concentrate on the positive side. We will lose hell of a player, but we also have time to prepare for the next season.”
Qualification for Europe can be impossible
Finally, he spoke about the qualification for Europe, which could happen as long as the result in other games goes their way.
“I think we now have very reduced options to play in Europe, I don't think I know or anecdotal, but you don't have to know how many results you have to go on you. But from all those results I think is the hardest of us because we are playing against City where they have to play for Champions League.
“So it's not the scenario you want, but it's the one we have now and we have to try to go there and play our game. But it is true that after the FA Cup final the opportunities to get Europe are very limited.”