The Villarreal B head coach warns that it will not be easy to take all three points in Alicante (Saturday, 4:15pm CEST)
Villarreal B head coach David Albelda has warned that Saturday’s clash with Hércules (4:15pm CEST) will be a tough one, regardless of the side from Alicante’s position in the table. “It’s going to be a difficult match. Hércules are a team built to fight for promotion, even if they are currently near the bottom. They are one of the biggest clubs in the group, with enormous potential to have a great season. It’s true that sometimes teams have a slow start. We know we’ll be facing a side that’s going to be fighting for the play-offs, much more than what their current situation suggests. We can’t make the mistake of thinking they’ve had a poor start and leave it at that,” he emphasised.
When asked about the differences between the two sides, Albelda was clear: “There are always differences. It’s not the same when one side is a B team and the other has experienced, established players. Each side has its strengths. They have a great team and their coaching staff are doing a good job. They’re a side with very clear ideas. Offensively, they have excellent players, and defensively they’ve also invested well. It’s going to be a difficult game. Hércules will also understand that it’s not easy to face a reserve side that’s coming off a win.”
As for the keys to the match, the Mini Submarine coach pointed to one area that needs improvement: “The main thing we need to fix is set pieces, which have been punishing us a lot. They have a lot of variety from dead-ball situations. From throw-ins, they have strong players who can send the ball into the box like a corner. As for open play, it’s a big pitch and I’m convinced we’ll also have our moments.”
The Valencian coach also reflected positively on the team’s last win over Real Betis Deportivo (4-1): “Winning always changes how things look. The reality is that we’re in a very competitive league where one game can change a lot. What’s important are the sensations the team gives off and how we continue to grow with our young players. I’m happy with the win. It’s true that our match plan was to have more possession, knowing Betis are brave and aggressive, but they took the ball off us and we had to adapt. Once we managed to beat their press, we found plenty of space and we have players who can make the most of that.”
Finally, Albelda called for calm and balance: “There’s a psychological element to keep things even. We’d gone five games without a win and felt that football wasn’t being fair to us, but this victory can’t hide the fact that we still have a lot of room for improvement and must keep getting better,” he concluded.
