MADRID, 31 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Villarreal coach, Marcelino García Toral, hopes that the team can confirm its “good streak” this Monday at the Estadio de la Cerámica against Atlético de Madrid, a team “very powerful in all facets of the game” and “with great footballers”, and recalled that they are “capable of competing with anyone”.
“Both teams have very good players on the field of play and we believe we are capable of competing with anyone. We want to win, not because of the previous streak, but because in this match we are superior to the rival, we have more success and we are able to maintain the good dynamic of results and game with which we come,” he declared at a press conference.
Furthermore, he sees the footballers “in good spirits, with extraordinary attitude, tremendously excited” before a “very complicated” match. “Atlético de Madrid is in a situation where it needs to win, but we also want to do it, we play in our field, with our fans and we hope to give them another joy. We come from a good streak and let’s see if we are able to confirm it,” he insisted.
“I don’t think that a break is an obvious indicator that the dynamic you had previously changes. It does serve to recover strength or, in some cases, someone falls. At the game level we were good before, and when you are good and have a good and extended dynamics is because there are solid foundations, it is not a product of chance, but based on work that is satisfactory,” he added.
On the other hand, the Asturian coach highlighted that in recent weeks they managed to “minimize the rival’s scoring options”, which has made them “concede less”. “On the offensive side we continue to be a good team, we are one of the best in LaLiga; if we had had normal defensive numbers we would be at the top of the table. Our idea is to certify the good things we have done in these past rounds and remember that we have been competitive and winners of all the teams that have preceded us in the table until now,” he stressed.
Marcelino, however, warned of the danger of becoming too confident in the face of a rival with problems far from his field. “Football has these things. We had just beaten Barcelona and we had to get a positive result against Cádiz to escape from the bottom and we tied. Then we went to San Sebastián, we played against Valencia, Betis… In all those scenarios you think that you have to win to separate yourself from the bottom,” he stated.
“The most important thing is the immediate match, focusing all our attention on what we must do to counteract the rival. The sum of rounds and points will take us to the final stretch to see what we can fight for. It is very difficult, because with only 27 points to play in the closest competition we have is two games away from nine. The next one seems almost impossible to me, very difficult. We have a very complicated calendar ahead, with two super demanding games. The most sensible thing is to think about the immediate, and the immediate future is a very difficult game that we will try to move forward,” he continued.
In another order of things, the coach of the Castellón team highlighted Simeone’s 13 years of work at the head of Atlético. “It is a reference in the leap in quality and maintenance at a high level. It is a ‘Champions’ team, it has an extraordinary coach, very good footballers. We know that it is going to be very difficult, but with our fans, in our field and with the good level of the team, we believe we can win. It is the attitude and commitment with which we are going to start this match,” he ventured.
Regarding the red and white team, he explained that it is “a very powerful team in all facets of the game, with great footballers on an individual level, with a very consolidated football idea on a collective level.” “We have to play at a very high level and, at the same time, ensure that their best players, who are many, do not have their best day. We have to be accurate in the areas,” he expressed.
“They are easy to score goals and they are already recovering Griezmann; this break is sure to help him recover his best physical level, he is an absolutely decisive footballer, the same as Morata, Depay and Correa. He has a cast of footballers on the offensive side that are lethal and are a supportive, competitive, winning team that knows how to play these types of games in which a lot is at stake,” he continued.
Finally, he confirmed that both Francis Coquelin and Raúl Albiol are “perfect.” “The long-term injured, Jeremy -Pino- and Denis -Suárez-, have a long way to go. Juan -Foyth- is still out, Pepe -Reina- and Eric -Bailly- too. We also have those suspended, which which makes our defense quite conditioned, and those who are going to join are Raúl and Alfonso,” he revealed.
Regarding Alfonso Pedraza, he believes that his return is “perhaps a little premature.” “But he is in a state of strength and mentality enough to lend us a hand, and that is why he also comes with us,” he said.