The Yellow Submarine head coach warns of the difficulty of the tie and calls for maximum adaptation to overcome Atlético Antoniano (Wednesday, 9pm CET)
Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino García Toral spoke to the media on Tuesday to analyse the upcoming Copa del Rey match against Atlético Antoniano, corresponding to the Second Round of the competition, which will be played this Wednesday at 9pm CET at the Estadio Municipal de Lebrija.
The Asturian manager explained that the team approaches the tie with excitement but also caution due to the conditions: “It will be a very complicated match and everything will depend on the motivation we bring. The pitch is not suitable for professional football and we will have to adapt to it. Any superiority is cancelled out because the conditions level everything. Effectiveness and the result must prevail, because the Copa is a chance to win a title.”
Along those lines, Marcelino stressed that, although progressing to the next round is the objective, it is essential to understand the challenge: “We want to go through, but we have to be fully aware of the difficulty. The setting itself will make things tough. The excitement and ambition are there, but we must remember that this is also a very special match for Atlético Antoniano and they will give everything.”
The Yellow Submarine manager also analysed the opposition, whom he considers especially dangerous at home: “I expect a very motivated and excited team. They are extremely strong on their home pitch and have mastered both the surface and the dimensions. They find the net with ease. Within their group, they are one of the best home sides.” He also warned that the context will condition the game: “There will be constant stoppages, little continuity and many second balls. The dimensions force that. It’s a very different setting and a very different game idea, so we must adapt and impose our greater quality.”
Finally, Marcelino insisted on the mindset needed for the tie: “We will go there with excitement and ambition, fully aware of the difficulty. We must have a clear picture in our minds of how to play in that setting.”
