The head coach praised Osasuna and underlined the need to put in a complete performance to win at El Sadar (Sunday, 2pm CET)
Villarreal head coach Marcelino García Toral appeared before the media this Friday to analyse the match against CA Osasuna, corresponding to Matchday 14 of the 2024/25 LALIGA EA Sports season, which will be played this Sunday, at 2pm CET, at El Sadar.
In his opening remarks, Marcelino made it clear that, despite the team’s missing players, the absentees cannot be used as an excuse for the match: “We’re worried about the absentees, but we’re not looking for excuses. Our job is different. Our job is to try, with the players we have, who have worked very well over the last few days, to be able to compete at the highest level. And from that competitiveness, we have to be able to add to it the skill to fight for the three points on such a tough pitch.”
As for the virtues of their opponents, the Asturian head coach was full of praise for them: “They are the second best team at home. They average almost two goals scored on average at home. They are an aggressive, direct and attacking team, who play well on the counter-attack and have a good record of crossing. They are going to make things very difficult for us. But we’re also doing well and it’s difficult to beat us. We’ve also done well away from home. It will be an evenly matched game and whoever gets it right will win the game.”
Marcelino also shared what he considers to be the recipe for beating Osasuna: “We have to do everything right. We have to play a very complete game. Be intense and defend when we don’t have the ball. We have to be attentive to their counter-attacks and defend the side’s crosses. With the ball we have to try to hurt them. They are an intense team that presses and presses, so we also have to be intense when attacking. They are the second team that gives the opposition the most offside, so we have to try and look for their area and their goal. And then there is being accurate in the penalty area. In the last few games we’ve offered very few options to the opposition and that’s the way we have to be consistent and improve. Let’s see if we can generate our chances.”
