MADRID, 14 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Villarreal coach Marcelino García Toral described the victory (2-3) against Stade Rennes this Thursday as “epic” to advance directly to the round of 16 of the Europa League, highlighting his team's attitude in the face of many setbacks, although recognized that they cannot reach certain situations due to their own mistakes.
“It was an epic victory. We had to overcome many circumstances and two injuries. We should not have reached that end because we had chances to score the fourth,” he said after a match of alternatives until the 102nd minute.
In that long stoppage time the 'submarine' was saved from 3-3 due to an offside, after a game of faith but also new failures in defense. “When you play against an important rival, the games are difficult. They started with dominance. We went further and found the goal. A tie is avoidable, an action that does not usually happen,” he noted.
“That and the possible attack on Baena made us competitive. In the second half we were good. We had speed and creativity. All of this led us to have clear opportunities,” he analyzed.
Thus, the Asturian coach insisted on the importance of not conceding goals so easily. “We have many virtues and also defects that we have to work on to be an increasingly competitive team. If you are very good at the top, but you bleed at the back, you suffer. We have had to score three goals to win, which is not always going to happen outside of home,” he said.
“We have risen up with all the adversity, which means that the team is alive, that it wants to change the dynamic. In the last seven games we have only lost one, with rivals of more or less importance. The game we lost was, except 10 minutes that cannot be repeated, the most complete,” he concluded.