Europa League no comedown for Basel's Delgado

Finishing third in UEFA Champions League Group A would be no disgrace at all for Basel midfielder Matías Delgado, the 33-year-old captain exhorting his side to get a win at Ludogorets to book their transfer to the UEFA Europa League. In his second spell at Basel, following a 2003–06 stint, the Argentinian talked through the club's European quest.

What are your feelings about Basel's campaign so far?

Matías Delgado: We have played some great football so far, but we have faced very tough opponents. We struggle when we don't have the ball. Our performances have been more than acceptable in every game, but ultimately we've only got one point and we have to play two finals and get as many points as possible to qualify for the Europa League.

Basel remain unbeaten in the Swiss league so is it fair to say that European football is not taking too much of a toll on the team?

Delgado: Well, we have a lot of good players in our squad, even the ones who only play in our domestic matches. That's part of the club's vision: to have a big squad to ensure we can compete in various competitions. It helps us a lot.

How do you see the upcoming match against Ludogorets?

Delgado: It's like a final for us, against very tough and fit opponents. If we play as well as we did at PSG, we can win. These matches are really wonderful to play in. Even though there is a game still to go afterwards, the loser will go out. We didn't make the most of their lapses in concentration in the first meeting [a 1-1 draw in Switzerland]. The onus was on us to win and that put us under pressure. However, having played against Arsenal and twice against PSG, our team is different and we have more experience, so I guess we will play far better.

Do you feel enthusiastic about the prospect of playing in the UEFA Europa League?

Delgado: Yes, of course – it's important to keep competing against the top clubs in Europe. It's a very attractive tournament involving some of the best teams on the continent, so we want to qualify and get as far as we can. The squad is very ambitious and so is the club. If we are motivated and confident, we can reach the semi-finals. In our national league we do really good things, but we have never managed to show exactly what we are capable of in Europe. It would be great to show the world what we can do. This is important for our town. Basel need to be in the European competitions, be it the Champions League or the Europa League, always fighting and developing.

Delgado and Basel have had a frustrating Group A campaign©AFP/Getty Images