The Mini Submarine head coach has been talking about the match against Elche this Saturday at 9:30pm CEST
Villarreal B head coach, Miguel Álvarez, appeared at the press conference prior to the demanding match against a strong opponent in Elche CF, corresponding to Matchday 3 of LALIGA Hypermotion, which will take place this Saturday at 9:30pm CEST at the Estadio Martínez Valero.
Here is what he had to say:
The team’s status
“The team is doing well. Pablo has some discomfort, he hasn’t recovered. We’ve already released Tasende’s medical report and we’ll see in the coming weeks. With Alti and Ilias we will adapt. Collado and Carlos Romero are working with the group.”
Tasende
“In a B team everyone is important. He is a different player to Carlos Romero and because of his characteristics he would be more needed for Cartagena than for Elche because of the distribution on the pitch.”
Elche
“They have a brutal squad. Both in Ferrol and in Eibar they played great games. 80-90% of the teams look like first division teams. All the matches are very strong and we, always respecting our opponents and analysing their strengths and weaknesses, focus on ourselves. We are a reserve team and we focus on our own.”
Ontiveros
“It has been hard for us, but we have no complaints. I’m trying to help him along the way. He’s in great condition, he’s much better and the starting point this year is the same as at the end of last year. He’s intense and he’s doing well. If he’s well, he’s a differential. As a person he’s great, he doesn’t complain at all. We love him a lot. We’re going to take care of him and we’re going to be demanding.”
A tough league
“Last year there were grounds like Granada or Sporting, and it was a novelty to go from the Mini to those grounds for boys who had no experience in the second division, it was a brutal shock. This year some of them already have experience and others, like Requena, have already played on amazing pitches in pre-season with Quique. It’s invaluable.”
Quick starts for opposition
“We are working on it. The beginnings of matches are very important. In Zaragoza it was difficult for us, but it’s part of the learning process. We approached it very well in terms of the atmosphere. Then the lads approached it very well and had chances. We are working so that these things don’t happen and the team is becoming more and more solid. Defensively we are working hard on it. Away from home there are going to be a lot of attacks from our opponents and we have to be aware of that.”
Keys to the match
“With personality we are going to create problems for them. We have focused a lot on ourselves. The other day offensively we were very good. We are capable of possession, but also of transitions and verticality. We also have to take care of those mistakes and be solid without the ball.”
