The Villarreal CF head coach has called for ambition, focus, and respect ahead of the clash with Pafos FC (Wednesday, 6:45pm CET)
Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino García Toral spoke to the media this Tuesday at the Limassol Stadium ahead of his team’s upcoming UEFA Champions League Group Stage match against Pafos FC.
In his pre-match press conference, Marcelino expressed the team’s determination to claim their first win of the campaign in Europe’s top competition: “We would love to get our first victory, which we’ve deserved in previous games but haven’t achieved yet. We know it won’t be easy, but that’s our goal. We have the quality, the capability, and the conviction to make it happen.”
Having already faced Tottenham, Juventus, and Manchester City in the opening fixtures, Marcelino warned that the match in Cyprus will also be a tough test: “We have to respect our opponent because they’re a good team. We need to stay focused for the full 90 minutes, perform at our best, and not relax just because this opponent may seem less powerful than the previous ones. It would be a big mistake to think the match is won before playing it.”
The Spanish coach also described the fixture as a “test of maturity” for his players: “Our obligation is not necessarily to win, but to play at our best level and make full use of our potential. We’ve shown in all competitions that we can perform at a very high level, so I believe we have real chances to win against Pafos.”
Looking ahead to the game, Marcelino expects a demanding and hard-fought battle: “I think it’s going to be a difficult match, with plenty of duels and second balls. They like to press high, stay close to their opponents, and they’re strong both in attack and transition. They also defend well and concede very few goals. In fact, in their two away games in this Champions League campaign, they kept a clean sheet despite being down to ten men.”
Parejo: “If Pafos are playing in the Champions League, it’s for a reason”
Dani Parejo joined head coach Marcelino García Toral in the press room at the Limassol Stadium ahead of Villarreal CF’s UEFA Champions League clash with Pafos FC. The midfielder analysed the upcoming fixture and the team’s opponents: “It’s going to be a tough and demanding game. If they’re in this competition, it’s for a reason. Pafos are a dangerous team that like to have possession and attack. We’re fully aware that it won’t be an easy match.”
Just like his coach, Parejo emphasised that Villarreal will need to be at their best to get a result in Cyprus: “We know they’re a good side, and to beat them we’ll need to do things very well. It’s a very important game for us, and our only focus is to be competitive and to win.”
