Roger Riera expects a dynamic match but has called on his team-mates to be calm ahead of the match at the Álvarez Claro
Villarreal B defender Roger Riera underlined that the dressing room is confident to get a comeback against UD Melilla: “There in Melilla, they will definitely push us, but we’re completely ready. We can’t think about how we have to score three goals against them. We have to focus first on the first goal, and try and play a dynamic game where things happen. At the end of the day, the team has enough experience to go and play in a stadium like UD Melilla’s. They will be excited because of their chance of progressing, but we believe we’ve prepared for the game well this week and we will be in the perfect shape for Sunday’s tie. We have a better level than what we showed in the first leg. We need to be focused on recovering the level we showed throughout the year and try and turn the tie around.”
The centre-back praised the team’s work throughout the season: “The result is a blow, but we’re in the play-offs because we earned it throughout the year. Many teams with a higher level than us haven’t got there and I don’t think the team can stop believing in itself just because of one game. We all know that the level we showed isn’t the level we’ve had throughout most of the season. We’re convinced that if we score first and we’re calm, we can get a comeback.”
“At the end of the day, the first Melilla goal is from a throw-in that ends with a penalty and the second was a mistake of mine. The result doesn’t reflect the match, given that they weren’t that much better and they didn’t have as many chances as the scoreboard suggests. There we need to try and not make mistakes and get back to our habitual level to get the comeback,” recognised the reserve player.
Finally, Riera emphasised that the face injury he suffered in the first leg will not stop him playing against Luis Carrión’s side: “At the end of the day, we need to learn to live with aches and pains. We’re ready for Sunday, and I will be able to play without any problems with the mask.”
