Miguel Álvarez has highlighted the desire of this young group to go head-to-head with every team in the second tier

Villarreal B head coach Miguel Álvarez appeared in front of the media ahead of the team’s LaLiga SmartBank debut. The Mini Submarine will face Racing Santander on Sunday at 5:30pm CEST at El Sardinero. The match will be the start of an exciting challenge for Miguel Álvarez’s side as they return to the second tier of Spanish football. The coach highlighted the excitement that this enormous challenge awakens in such a young group of players. Here are his key points:

Excitement and eagerness to start

“We’re feeling good, we’re very excited, we’re looking forward to getting started. What the lads and I want is to compete. There are some guys who are feeling a bit sore because of the workload, but we hope to have everyone ready for the game”.

Adapting to the new league

“It’s the same for us. Last year it was also a leap, but our thoughts are the same, at the end of the day it’s football. The boys will adapt, we have a group where they have shown what they are capable of and the group is extraordinary when it comes to competing. I’m convinced that they will adapt to the division, which is difficult, but they will do it”.

A familiar group

“We have few new faces and that makes everything easier for the coaching staff as there are automatisms created and the players help us along the way. Many players are staying and that is reflected in everything, tasks, training, play… Tiago Geralnik and Carlos Romero now are registered B-team players, there are some like Rodri Alonso, Hugo or Espigares who are going to be in and around the squad. I trust in the home-grown players”.

Two challenges

“There are 42 games, it’s a very long season. What you get on the board gives you the confidence to say “I can also play in this division.” There are two very interesting challenges: one is to stay in the division next year, that’s the main one; the other is the boys. Few new faces have come from outside, they are all homegrown. We are more used to winning than losing, but now you enter a division where it is more likely to lose than to win and you have to prepare for that on an emotional level. The challenge is to provide the tools to win more than to lose. We have to see how we manage all this. We have to get points to gain confidence”.

Enjoying the journey

“The boys are looking forward to it. They are excited, they know how hard it was to get here. We’ve had a lot of fun on the journey, but there’s a lot of work and difficulty. They know how difficult it is and now they want to enjoy it. Football is enjoyed by competing and winning. I have a lot of faith in this group, it’s not going to be easy, but I trust them.”