Sara Monforte has highlighted the good feelings around Villarreal Women ahead of their clash with Sevilla FC (Sunday, 12pm CEST)
Villarreal Women head coach Sara Monforte appeared in front of the media ahead of the Yellows’ match with Sevilla FC, corresponding to Matchday 5 of the 2022/23 Finetwork Liga F season (Sunday, 12pm CEST) at the Mini Estadi. Here are the key points from Monforte.
Good feelings
“The team were looking very good before the international break, but I think we are still the same. In the end, we haven’t had so many people with the national teams, so we haven’t noticed it so much. The team is in a great moment. It’s true that in the first two games we couldn’t score, but after the game in Vitoria, I think the team is in great shape and in a great moment.”
A competitive league
“The match against Deportivo Alavés was very even at the start. You have to bear in mind that it’s very difficult to win in Vitoria. Last year, they were very strong there at their ground and, in fact, that’s where they managed to stay up. It’s clear that we knew how difficult the first matches would be, against the top two teams from last season. However, now we have some very tough games coming up, like the one against Sevilla. We are in a great moment and this team, one of the things that has improved compared to last year, is that they feel capable of competing against any team.”
Opportunity to be strong at home
“We have to be strong here at home. The Mini Estadi has to be like player number 12. In fact, I think you could see it in the Barça game, because when we made it 1-2, we even thought we could equalise with the support of the fans. In the end, the fans are one more point for the players. When you might not have any strength left, those three thousand spectators give you that strength. They are more decisive than they think.”
The keys to the game
“Sevilla have made some important signings. I think this year’s squad has more quality than last season’s, although it’s true that their model of play hasn’t changed that much. I’ve known Cristian Toro for a long time, in fact I had him as a coach, and he has changed a lot, because he is a coach with much more vertical teams and with more speed. So we have to be very aware that we have to play a very long game. Sevilla FC are coming off the back of a defeat and maybe that makes them more nervous, because they know that this is a very important game. We have to stay focused for the whole game and make it a long game to have a chance until the end.”