Marcelino and Bruno are optimistic ahead of Thursday’s match against Liverpool at Anfield
In the press conference at Anfield this afternoon the Villarreal CF manager, Marcelino García Toral, assured that his team have a great chance to get through to the UEFA Europa League Final in Thursday’s clash (9:05pm CET, BeIN Sports). “We’re hopeful and have a great chance to get through to the Final of the Europa League. It’s amazing for us to be playing in the Semi-final at this stadium and the fantastic atmosphere at Anfield will only serve as even more of a motivation for us to go on to the Final”.
The manager expects it to be a very different game to the first leg at El Madrigal, that finished in a 1-0 victory for the Yellows: “It’s going to be a very different match. I expect Liverpool to pressure us higher and be more direct, not getting off to a slow start this time. The may play with a different system and different players, but this isn’t going to change the way we play. We know their strong points and not so strong points and we’ll use this and make them play our game”.
The Yellows manager said his players must be concentrated for as long as the game lasts: “Liverpool have a brilliant squad. For example, they have a player like Benteke, who they paid 50 million euros for, which is almost the whole Villarreal budget. We know that any of the Liverpool players can do us damage if we’re not focused”.
Marcelino believes the team must face the game with hope and shouldn’t feel any pressure: “Villarreal have already played big games like this in our history. Perhaps the biggest of these the match against Almería for promotion to the First Division. We hope that we can get to the Final for the first time ever, but always by enjoying the game. This squad is going to give everything to get there”.
Bruno: “We have a lot of ambition”
Captain Bruno Soriano talked about the hope in the team: “I don’t know if football owes us a Final after playing in three European Semi-finals, but one thing I do know is that we are really hopeful and full of excitement and above all, ambition. This club has never taken this final step and we have a great chance. We must give out our all, 100%, to get to the Final that we all desire”.
The local midfielder, from Artana, realises that the team will have to suffer to get through to the Europa League Final: “We come to Anfield with the intention of getting forward, playing our game to create danger in their half. We will try not to suffer like Atlético de Madrid in Munich but it could happen”.
Lastly, Bruno wanted to send a message to the Yellows fans, who will travel in great numbers to cheer on the Submarine in Liverpool: “For us it’s key that the fans are with us. We know that we’ll have their support tomorrow and this makes all the difference. We’ll see if we’re all happy by the end of the game”.
