Marcelino has stressed the importance of starting the season well and giving the fans something to cheer about against Real Oviedo
Villarreal head coach Marcelino García Toral spoke to the media for the first time this season on Thursday in the press room at the José Manuel Llaneza Training Ground, ahead of the upcoming LALIGA EA Sports Matchday 1 fixture against Real Oviedo, which will be played this Friday at 9:30pm CEST at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
Before the press conference began, the Yellows’ head coach thanked everyone for the birthday wishes he received for his sixtieth birthday: “I take it that everyone has wished me well. The best gift possible would be a win tomorrow.”
Speaking about the opposition, Real Oviedo, Marcelino pointed out some of their main strengths: “They are a hard-working team that press in different areas, attack down the flanks and have two strikers who are strong finishers.” He also took the opportunity to congratulate the Asturian side on their promotion: “If they are here, it is because they have earned it, and I congratulate them.”
With the return of Santi Cazorla, Marcelino expressed his affection for the player, recalling their time together at Recreativo: “For me, he is a special player and one of the best footballers I have coached in my career. I consider him a personal friend.”
The Yellows’ head coach also had words for the players who are no longer at the club but were part of last season’s squad: “We have to congratulate them for the good work they did last season. We grew as the season went on. This year, I would like to build on what we did well last season and improve it.”
Regarding the objectives for the current campaign, the Villarreal CF coach was ambitious in his statements: “The aim is to always be better. It would be a great challenge to play in the Champions League in consecutive seasons for the first time in history.”
Finally, he thanked the club for the excellent pre-season they organised, facing top-level opponents: “We have played against champions from several leagues and, in many moments, we have shown superiority.” He also did not want to forget about the injured players: “The injuries to Logan and Willy have hurt us a lot, firstly on a personal level and then thinking about the team.”
