Thursday 12 March 2015 14:16, UK
Roberto Martinez says Everton's Premier League plight will not take away any focus on their Europa League clash with Dynamo Kiev on Thursday.
Martinez concedes Everton have "10 finals" ahead of them on the domestic front and that they face a survival battle, but he is keen that they take their European games seriously.
And he says each match they play, be it in the Premier League or in Europe, has to be treated in isolation, starting with a clash against the Ukraine league leaders at Goodison Park, with a quarter-final place at stake.
Martinez said: "We know the severity of the situation in the league. We have 10 games to go, and we will take that as 30 points to fight for and 10 finals.
"But the only focus for now is Dynamo. We don't want to take things lightly. The last time we were involved at this stage was 2008.
"You should not underestimate how much work has been put in over the last 16 months to get into this position. So we must focus on this tie, and the home leg, which is vital.
"European football is something we want at Everton."
And Martinez does not believe having European matches to worry about should affect the way they prepare for the Premier League games that follow, the first of them at home to Newcastle on Sunday.
He added: "I think we have enough quality and experience to understand that we need to make it a big European night at Goodison, and then the responsibility in the dressing room will be to get ready after that for the next game.
"One competition should not get in the way of the other.
"It has been a very difficult season in which to get back-to-back results and develop good momentum.
"But now, the time for talking about the season is over."
