Villarreal B head coach, Miguel Álvarez, appeared in front of the media ahead of the match against league leaders, Deportivo Alavés, which will take place this Saturday at 4:15pm at Mendizorroza. The manager highlighted the difficulty of the clash against a team that dominates at home in a stadium that’s worthy of the top flight.
Here are the standout quotes from Álvarez:
Good feelings
“All the adverse circumstances that the team has suffered have caused the process of adaptation of the young players to be rushed and, on top of that, we have achieved good results. We have 23 points in our first year in our first year. Now we don’t have Dela due to suspension, but we have Pablo (Iñiguez) and (Sergio) Lozano back. Javi (Ontiveros) is getting better every day.”
The keys
“The opponent stands out because of their position. They’ve only conceded 12 goals and they’re almost 1-0 up because of the fans they have. I expect a game of suffering, but I hope the lads know how to handle it. They are a team that demands a lot from you, good at associative play, transitions and set pieces. If they’re at the top, it’s for a reason. They don’t give you points for free. We are fulfilling one of the team’s objectives, which was to improve defensively. We have to play a much better game than in Huesca.”
A tough test
“My dream has always been to reach elite football and to experience these games. The players are the ones who have to manage it and I think they will do well. It’s a beautiful game to enjoy. I know they’re going to put us under pressure, but I want to see the response in the moments without the ball against a team as demanding as Alavés.”
A top-flight atmosphere
“It’s a vital game for the boys’ growth. We’re going to try to enjoy it. The team is back on the right foot and we’re capable of linking up very well. We’re going with the intention of enjoying a Primera División atmosphere, but we’re going to try to win.”
Excitement for first-team experiences
“I see a tremendous enthusiasm from the boys with the B team and when they go up with the first team since the first year I arrived. They have an incredible sense of belonging and they don’t come back feeling important when they return to the B team. When Alberto and Carlo went with the first team, we were very happy for them and we adapted. It’s amazing that young people are so mature.”
