MADRID, 17 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Cádiz coach, Sergio González, has assured that they will attend the Camp Nou Spotify this Sunday (9:00 p.m.), where they will face FC Barcelona on the twenty-second day of LaLiga Santander, “without complexes”, “daring” and knowing that they are going “to suffer”, and has recognized that the absence of Pedri reduces the Barca team “a tad of potential”.
“We are going with the idea of competing, knowing that both Barça and Real Madrid are going to lose at most three or four games at home, and the idea is that we can be one of them. We are going with great enthusiasm, knowing that the stage is beautiful “It’s a challenge to measure up against footballers of this level. Without complexes, knowing that we are going to suffer and that we have to make them run backwards, because the more they have the ball, they do more damage. After the robbery we must offer benefits so that they can run back,” he said at a press conference.
For this reason, the Catalan coach asked his players to be “daring”, and he is wary that the draw for the Catalans in the Europa League against Manchester United is going to take away the focus of LaLiga Santander. “We have to understand that we can’t just be defending ourselves and from time to time give a claw,” he said. “We prepare the game thinking about the best version of the rival. I hope that this draw makes them think more about the return, but they also have LaLiga, which they haven’t won for a long time,” he warned.
“We are going to face a Barça at its best level: at the best level of Ter Stegen, of the defensive line, of midfielders… We are going with that idea. We must understand that Barça is going to have the ball for a long time and that it will not It weighs on us. We must be daring. The team has shown on big stages to have that personality and we have to do it again”, he continued.
“It’s a great team, they’re showing it in LaLiga, achieving that regularity that they haven’t had for a long time. Xavi is doing a very good job; he knows the house, he knows the DNA and the way of playing. He’s implementing his style of play. In LaLiga, not so much in Europe, they are being a team with an enormous capacity to submit you, to hurt you and make you smaller”, he stressed.
In a different order of things, the Cadista coach appreciated the absence of the injured Pedri in the culé team. “He can make them hold the ball for less time, because he gives them ‘tempo’, participates a lot in the plays, touches and drives. He is a capital footballer in understanding his way of playing, but they also have footballers like Sergi Roberto, Gavi, De Jong, who can perfectly assume the way of playing. Lately he was contributing a goal. It is an important absence. It takes away a bit of potential, but it will be a very clear team with its idea and very strong in the offensive phase”, he indicated.
In addition, he recognized that they have lived “a beautiful week” after beating Girona (2-0). “The feeling that the work gives results makes you stronger and makes you stronger. We understand that there is a lot of war left, keeping our feet on the ground for all that we have left. The team is increasingly confident. We know that this weekend week we have an important game and there is a lot of fabric left to cut,” he said.
Finally, he confirmed that the Paraguayan Santiago Arzamendia will have a place in the eleven against the loss due to the accumulation of yellow cards by Alfonso ‘Pacha’ Espino. “Santi is going to play as a starter; he is training very well, he deserves more games than he has played, and he will be part of the game whatever the structure we use,” he said.
“We have a big problem as a coaching staff because we have high-level players, we have more options to choose from, but it will be an unfair choice. It’s a luxury for us, blessed problem. This makes the team’s competitive level grow. Those who have come make those who were already prick up their ears”, he concluded.