The Spanish coach Iñigo Pérez continues to make headlines this season after leading Rayo Vallecano to their first European final in the club's history, following their victory over Strasbourg in the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League. They are set to face Crystal Palace in the anticipated final in Leipzig on May 27.

The former Athletic Bilbao coach confirmed that his experience under the leadership of Argentine Marcelo Bielsa had a significant impact on his career, both as a player and a coach. He pointed out that Bielsa changed his way of understanding football and even his outlook on life. He explained that many of his current coaching ideas are inspired by the Argentine coach's approach to dealing with and developing players.

Pérez also pointed out the similarities between the current Rayo Vallecano and Athletic Bilbao in the 2011-2012 season, when the Basque team, under Bielsa's leadership, reached the finals of the Europa League and the Copa del Rey, delivering remarkable performances on the European stage. He emphasized that the similarity lies in the collective spirit and the way the players embrace competition and ambition on the field.

At the same time, the Spanish coach emphasized that he does not compare himself to Marcelo Bielsa, explaining that what he is currently doing is leveraging the experiences he has had in the past and trying to convey them to the Rayo Vallecano players to help them achieve the best possible version of themselves in this historic season.