Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atlético de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST)
Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino García Toral spoke to the media this Friday to preview the team’s clash with Atlético de Madrid, corresponding to Matchday 4 of LALIGA EA SPORTS, set for this Saturday at 9pm CEST at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
The Asturian coach analysed the opposition, emphasised the difficulty of the fixture, and addressed several key aspects ahead of the match and regarding the team’s current situation:
1. Return of the internationals
“You’re always happy after the international break when there are no injuries. Everyone has come back in good shape, and those who won are even happier. Representing their country is always something special for the players. We’re very pleased to finally have the full squad available for the season. I’m very satisfied. Now we face three exciting, beautiful and tough weeks, but we approach them with ambition and enthusiasm.”
2. Adaptation of new signings and available players
“We haven’t had much time to work all together. For the new arrivals, we’ll try to help them adapt as quickly as possible. There are many matches ahead, and we won’t be able to train normally. We count on all of them, plus Ayoze, who hadn’t been with us in recent weeks. We welcome them all. Hopefully, this great squad becomes a magnificent team.”
3. A demanding, tight schedule
“We all want to play these kinds of matches. We’d rather play Champions League games than be training while waiting for league matches. The Champions League is for the best, and with everyone’s effort, we’ve earned the right to be there after an extraordinary season. Now we head to the Metropolitano with excitement. We’re unbeaten in three matchdays and want to stay that way. These tough matches are welcome.”
4. Atlético, a dangerous rival
“They’re always a very dangerous team, especially at home. Last season, they only lost once at their stadium. Against Elche this season, they could have won. They’ve got injuries now, but every team deals with that during the season. It will be a very tough match. Atlético are a great team with an extraordinary coach. We’re motivated because we’ve shown we can play at a high level. We’re optimistic and ambitious. We want to win.”
5. Keys to getting a good result
“When we don’t have the ball, we must defend very well. We need to stay efficient because they have great attacking players. Atlético’s squad is very complete, with different profiles. We also have to attack with personality and counter-attack whenever possible. They’re a team that recovers quickly, so it won’t be easy. We’ll need to find solutions throughout a very demanding match. We’re also a good team. I expect a tight game, and the side that’s more clinical will take the three points.”
6. Tight duels between Marcelino and Cholo Simeone
“I expect a balanced match. We’re two strong teams. Last season, it was 2-2 and 1-1. Both teams have changed many players, but we still have the same coaches and similar ideas of play. We’ll try to keep the solidity and ambition we’ve shown so far. It’ll be tough, but we need enthusiasm and ambition. This is a very important match for both teams.”
7. Matching last season’s away form
“I prefer to look at the present and future rather than the past. Last season, we had many virtues, but this is a different campaign. We now face the challenge of playing in the Champions League for two straight years. Hopefully, we can replicate last season’s away numbers. Tomorrow, we need to show our qualities at the Metropolitano. If we do, we’ll be close to winning.”
8. Two highly demanding matches in 72 hours
“We already knew this would be the case, and it doesn’t condition us for this match. We’ll have three days to recover. Atlético will have four, but then they’ll have three. We need to find solutions. We’re coming from the international break, and we’ll evaluate everything to see how the players have recovered.”
Below, you can listen to Marcelino García Toral’s full press conference ahead of the clash against Atlético de Madrid:
