Luis García calls on unity to face the upcoming games
Villarreal CF manager Luis García has underlined that he sees the second leg of the Copa Del Rey Round of 16 tie (Thursday, 8:30pm CET) against RCD Espanyol as a great opportunity for the Yellows: “We’re excited ahead of the match. It’s an open tie, although they have a slight advantage. If we go through, it will be a boost to morale, and give us confidence and happiness. We need to be competitive in the tie and I’m convinced that the players I pick will give their all. Winning is important for us. We have the match against Athletic on the horizon, but we have to give everything tomorrow.”
Regarding the starting lineup, García recognised that he will make changes: “Villarreal B players will be making the trip. We are a club for whom the academy is important, and we need these players to feel part of the squad.”
García expects a high-intensity match against Espanyol: “It’s a knockout tie over 180 minutes, and either side could have come away with victory after the first leg at home. Tomorrow, I am going to get 100% from whoever starts. Between everyone, we need to fight for the tie. If we win, it will bring happiness to all the players, the club and the fan base.”
To conclude, the head coach emphasised that the team is eager to get better ahead of upcoming games: “The players have lifted themselves up, they’ve prepared themselves mentally, they’ve geed themselves up and they’ve spoken between each other. I see that they’re really keen on solving the situation we’re in. We all need to be together, and we have to fight in every match like it’s a final. Now we have to turn things around with faith and eagerness.”
To listen to García’s press conference in full (in Spanish), click the video tab, which can be found just below the main photo.
