The Uruguayan defender discussed his adaptation to the full-back role and Villarreal CF’s positive momentum in front of the media
Santiago Mouriño appeared before the media on Wednesday to discuss the latest news surrounding Villarreal CF and assess his adaptation to the team after establishing himself as a regular on the right side of the Yellow Submarine’s back line.
Having arrived this past summer, the Yellow No. 15 has made a big impact on Marcelino García Toral’s side. The Uruguayan is one of seven players who have already surpassed 2,000 minutes so far this season, while also leading two key defensive rankings in LALIGA EA Sports: most recoveries (100) and most successful defensive duels won (124).
Regarding both statistics, Mouriño highlights his strengths and plays down their significance: “I’m also the player with the most yellow cards. In the end, my game is based on the defensive side. That’s my biggest strength. But that doesn’t mean I don’t need to keep improving my ball progression and getting closer to the wingers to help in attack.”
Under Marcelino, the Uruguayan has shifted from playing as a centre-back to right-back: “I’ve always been a centre-back, but I’m adapting to this position and feeling more comfortable every day. I hope to continue like this.”
During his press conference, Mouriño also valued the team’s strong trajectory in LALIGA EA Sports: “We’re having a great season. Our goal is to qualify for the Champions League. But we’re ambitious and we want to look upwards. Now we play against Barcelona and we want to beat them. We must take it game by game.”
The Yellow Submarine defender is ambitious, despite the difficulty of facing the Blaugranas: “It will be a tough match. They’ve won all their home games. Let’s see if we can break that streak. We must go toe to toe with them. We’re good when we have space and Barcelona are a brave team that push forward. We have great forwards who can hurt them. If we’re clinical, we can win.”
Below, you can watch Santiago Mouriño’s press conference:
