“I feel the confidence of Machín from day one”

Ruben Duarte is living a special season. Pablo Machin has decided that he play as center back, a demarcation that he already knows from his time at Espanyol and also at Alavés, where last year, with Asier Garitano, He has already played some matches in the axis of the rear. Although in recent years he has developed mainly on the left-back, he is ready to “help the team in any position and at any time”.

The Almerian is satisfied. “I'm adjusting very well, because the coach told me from the first moment that he was going to play there”; commented. “From the first moment I have felt their confidence”, affirmed. “Last year I already played several games in this position, which is not new for me,” he recalled.

He sees positive the changes that the new coach wants to introduce, determined to implement the 1-3-5-2 that led him to triumph at Girona. “We are doing what he asks of us. Now we are much more aggressive and defend much higher up and, above all, we are looking for the ball treatment we want to reach the rival area more times ”, he described.

Rematch

The babazorro team suffered a very cruel defeat on the first day by conceding a goal practically in the 94th minute as a result of a collective defensive oversight at the exit of a corner. The errors behind have been a drag throughout the preseason and, although last Sunday the team improved a lot in its coordination and defensive automatisms, a new error ruined the good work developed during 94 minutes.

“It costs and hurts to concede a goal and lose like that in the first league game, but we are professionals and we have been in worse situations,” he said. “The dressing room was hurt, but we are training well,” he stressed.

The babazorro team wants to remove the thorn as soon as possible. “We want to start adding now, because words are not worth it, but facts, so we are going to go to Granada at 200%, eager to win and to compensate for the defeat the other day,” he remarked.

Black beast

Granada, the next rival, is not good at the Albiazul team. In the past season, the Nazaris were superior in both games, scoring in the first round at Nuevo Los Cármenes (3-0) and imposing authority over an Alavés who was in free fall in the second, in Mendizorrotza (0- two).

Ruben Duarte he downplayed these results, although he did assume the strength of the Andalusians, who beat Athletic on the opening day (2-0), last Saturday. “He is very strong physically and has a base of footballers who have been together for several years. In the last league they did well, since as newly promoted they managed to get into Europe ”, he recalled.

“They play more directly than Betis, to the second falls, and they will also be at 200%. Hopefully we score on the occasions that arise and have that bit of luck necessary to win ”, he wished with faith in the Albiazules possibilities.

Granada will have the difficult remainder of balancing the league and the cup with the UEFA Europa League this season, provided they qualify for the group round. For this reason, Alavés, who will have more time to prepare for this match, hopes that their adversary could show the wear and tear of the continental duel against Albanian KS Teuta.