{"id":604353,"date":"2025-09-12T17:44:02","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T15:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/eficacia-y-solidez-como-antidoto-ante-la-igualdad-en-el-metropolitano\/"},"modified":"2025-09-12T18:07:58","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T16:07:58","slug":"efficiency-and-solidity-as-an-antidote-to-parity-at-the-metropolitano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/en\/efficiency-and-solidity-as-an-antidote-to-parity-at-the-metropolitano\/","title":{"rendered":"Efficiency and solidity as an antidote to parity at the Metropolitano"},"content":{"protected":false,"blocks":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST)"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral spoke to the media this Friday to preview the team\u2019s clash with Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid, corresponding to Matchday 4 of LALIGA EA SPORTS, set for this Saturday at 9pm CEST at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The Asturian coach analysed the opposition, emphasised the difficulty of the fixture, and addressed several key aspects ahead of the match and regarding the team\u2019s current situation:"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"1. Return of the internationals\u201cYou\u2019re always happy after the international break when there are no injuries. Everyone has come back in good shape, and those who won are even happier. Representing their country is always something special for the players. We\u2019re very pleased to finally have the full squad available for the season. I\u2019m very satisfied. Now we face three exciting, beautiful and tough weeks, but we approach them with ambition and enthusiasm.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"2. Adaptation of new signings and available players\u201cWe haven\u2019t had much time to work all together. For the new arrivals, we\u2019ll try to help them adapt as quickly as possible. There are many matches ahead, and we won\u2019t be able to train normally. We count on all of them, plus Ayoze, who hadn\u2019t been with us in recent weeks. We welcome them all. Hopefully, this great squad becomes a magnificent team.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"3. A demanding, tight schedule\u201cWe all want to play these kinds of matches. We\u2019d rather play Champions League games than be training while waiting for league matches. The Champions League is for the best, and with everyone\u2019s effort, we\u2019ve earned the right to be there after an extraordinary season. Now we head to the Metropolitano with excitement. We\u2019re unbeaten in three matchdays and want to stay that way. These tough matches are welcome.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"4. Atl\u00e9tico, a dangerous rival\u201cThey\u2019re always a very dangerous team, especially at home. Last season, they only lost once at their stadium. Against Elche this season, they could have won. They\u2019ve got injuries now, but every team deals with that during the season. It will be a very tough match. Atl\u00e9tico are a great team with an extraordinary coach. We\u2019re motivated because we\u2019ve shown we can play at a high level. We\u2019re optimistic and ambitious. We want to win.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"5. Keys to getting a good result\u201cWhen we don\u2019t have the ball, we must defend very well. We need to stay efficient because they have great attacking players. Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s squad is very complete, with different profiles. We also have to attack with personality and counter-attack whenever possible. They\u2019re a team that recovers quickly, so it won\u2019t be easy. We\u2019ll need to find solutions throughout a very demanding match. We\u2019re also a good team. I expect a tight game, and the side that\u2019s more clinical will take the three points.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"6. Tight duels between Marcelino and Cholo Simeone\u201cI expect a balanced match. We\u2019re two strong teams. Last season, it was 2-2 and 1-1. Both teams have changed many players, but we still have the same coaches and similar ideas of play. We\u2019ll try to keep the solidity and ambition we\u2019ve shown so far. It\u2019ll be tough, but we need enthusiasm and ambition. This is a very important match for both teams.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"7. Matching last season\u2019s away form\u201cI prefer to look at the present and future rather than the past. Last season, we had many virtues, but this is a different campaign. We now face the challenge of playing in the Champions League for two straight years. Hopefully, we can replicate last season\u2019s away numbers. Tomorrow, we need to show our qualities at the Metropolitano. If we do, we\u2019ll be close to winning.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"8. Two highly demanding matches in 72 hours\u201cWe already knew this would be the case, and it doesn\u2019t condition us for this match. We\u2019ll have three days to recover. Atl\u00e9tico will have four, but then they\u2019ll have three. We need to find solutions. We\u2019re coming from the international break, and we\u2019ll evaluate everything to see how the players have recovered.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Below, you can listen to Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral\u2019s full press conference ahead of the clash against Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid:"},{"type":"video","kind":"iframe","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Q-S9icD-aYo?feature=oembed","poster":""}],"structured":{"summary":{"text":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST) Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral spoke to the media this Friday to preview the team\u2019s clash with Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid, corresponding to Matchday 4 of LALIGA EA SPORTS, set for this Saturday at 9pm CEST at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The Asturian coach analysed the opposition, emphasised the difficulty of the fixture, and addressed several key aspects ahead of the match and regarding the team\u2019s current situation: 1. Return of the internationals\u201cYou\u2019re always happy after the international break when there are no injuries. Everyone has come back in good shape, and those who won are even happier. Representing their country is always something special for the players. We\u2019re very pleased to finally have the full squad available for the season. I\u2019m very satisfied. Now we face three exciting, beautiful and tough weeks, but we approach them with ambition and enthusiasm.\u201d 2. Adaptation of new signings and available players\u201cWe haven\u2019t had much time to work all together. For the new arrivals, we\u2019ll try to help them adapt as quickly as possible. There are many matches ahead, and we won\u2019t be able to train normally. We count on all of them, plus Ayoze, who hadn\u2019t been with us in recent weeks. We welcome them all. Hopefully, this great squad becomes a magnificent team.\u201d 3. A demanding, tight schedule\u201cWe all want to play these kinds of matches. We\u2019d rather play Champions League games than be training while waiting for league matches. The Champions League is for the best, and with everyone\u2019s effort, we\u2019ve earned the right to be there after an extraordinary season. Now we head to the Metropolitano with excitement. We\u2019re unbeaten in three matchdays and want to stay that way. These tough matches are welcome.\u201d 4. Atl\u00e9tico, a dangerous rival\u201cThey\u2019re always a very dangerous team, especially at home. Last season, they only lost once at their stadium. Against Elche this season, they could have won. They\u2019ve got injuries now, but every team deals with that during the season. It will be a very tough match. Atl\u00e9tico are a great team with an extraordinary coach. We\u2019re motivated because we\u2019ve shown we can play at a high level. We\u2019re optimistic and ambitious. We want to win.\u201d 5. Keys to getting a good result\u201cWhen we don\u2019t have the ball, we must defend very well. We need to stay efficient because they have great attacking players. Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s squad is very complete, with different profiles. We also have to attack with personality and counter-attack whenever possible. They\u2019re a team that recovers quickly, so it won\u2019t be easy. We\u2019ll need to find solutions throughout a very demanding match. We\u2019re also a good team. I expect a tight game, and the side that\u2019s more clinical will take the three points.\u201d 6. Tight duels between Marcelino and Cholo Simeone\u201cI expect a balanced match. We\u2019re two strong teams. Last season, it was 2-2 and 1-1. Both teams have changed many players, but we still have the same coaches and similar ideas of play. We\u2019ll try to keep the solidity and ambition we\u2019ve shown so far. It\u2019ll be tough, but we need enthusiasm and ambition. This is a very important match for both teams.\u201d 7. Matching last season\u2019s away form\u201cI prefer to look at the present and future rather than the past. Last season, we had many virtues, but this is a different campaign. We now face the challenge of playing in the Champions League for two straight years. Hopefully, we can replicate last season\u2019s away numbers. Tomorrow, we need to show our qualities at the Metropolitano. If we do, we\u2019ll be close to winning.\u201d 8. Two highly demanding matches in 72 hours\u201cWe already knew this would be the case, and it doesn\u2019t condition us for this match. We\u2019ll have three days to recover. Atl\u00e9tico will have four, but then they\u2019ll have three. We need to find solutions. We\u2019re coming from the international break, and we\u2019ll evaluate everything to see how the players have recovered.\u201d Below, you can listen to Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral\u2019s full press conference ahead of the clash against Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid:","headings":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST)"}],"buttons":[],"images":[],"counts":{"blocks":13,"headings":1,"texts":11,"buttons":0,"images":0}},"sections":[{"id":"section-1","title":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST)","text":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST) Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral spoke to the media this Friday to preview the team\u2019s clash with Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid, corresponding to Matchday 4 of LALIGA EA SPORTS, set for this Saturday at 9pm CEST at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The Asturian coach analysed the opposition, emphasised the difficulty of the fixture, and addressed several key aspects ahead of the match and regarding the team\u2019s current situation: 1. Return of the internationals\u201cYou\u2019re always happy after the international break when there are no injuries. Everyone has come back in good shape, and those who won are even happier. Representing their country is always something special for the players. We\u2019re very pleased to finally have the full squad available for the season. I\u2019m very satisfied. Now we face three exciting, beautiful and tough weeks, but we approach them with ambition and enthusiasm.\u201d 2. Adaptation of new signings and available players\u201cWe haven\u2019t had much time to work all together. For the new arrivals, we\u2019ll try to help them adapt as quickly as possible. There are many matches ahead, and we won\u2019t be able to train normally. We count on all of them, plus Ayoze, who hadn\u2019t been with us in recent weeks. We welcome them all. Hopefully, this great squad becomes a magnificent team.\u201d 3. A demanding, tight schedule\u201cWe all want to play these kinds of matches. We\u2019d rather play Champions League games than be training while waiting for league matches. The Champions League is for the best, and with everyone\u2019s effort, we\u2019ve earned the right to be there after an extraordinary season. Now we head to the Metropolitano with excitement. We\u2019re unbeaten in three matchdays and want to stay that way. These tough matches are welcome.\u201d 4. Atl\u00e9tico, a dangerous rival\u201cThey\u2019re always a very dangerous team, especially at home. Last season, they only lost once at their stadium. Against Elche this season, they could have won. They\u2019ve got injuries now, but every team deals with that during the season. It will be a very tough match. Atl\u00e9tico are a great team with an extraordinary coach. We\u2019re motivated because we\u2019ve shown we can play at a high level. We\u2019re optimistic and ambitious. We want to win.\u201d 5. Keys to getting a good result\u201cWhen we don\u2019t have the ball, we must defend very well. We need to stay efficient because they have great attacking players. Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s squad is very complete, with different profiles. We also have to attack with personality and counter-attack whenever possible. They\u2019re a team that recovers quickly, so it won\u2019t be easy. We\u2019ll need to find solutions throughout a very demanding match. We\u2019re also a good team. I expect a tight game, and the side that\u2019s more clinical will take the three points.\u201d 6. Tight duels between Marcelino and Cholo Simeone\u201cI expect a balanced match. We\u2019re two strong teams. Last season, it was 2-2 and 1-1. Both teams have changed many players, but we still have the same coaches and similar ideas of play. We\u2019ll try to keep the solidity and ambition we\u2019ve shown so far. It\u2019ll be tough, but we need enthusiasm and ambition. This is a very important match for both teams.\u201d 7. Matching last season\u2019s away form\u201cI prefer to look at the present and future rather than the past. Last season, we had many virtues, but this is a different campaign. We now face the challenge of playing in the Champions League for two straight years. Hopefully, we can replicate last season\u2019s away numbers. Tomorrow, we need to show our qualities at the Metropolitano. If we do, we\u2019ll be close to winning.\u201d 8. Two highly demanding matches in 72 hours\u201cWe already knew this would be the case, and it doesn\u2019t condition us for this match. We\u2019ll have three days to recover. Atl\u00e9tico will have four, but then they\u2019ll have three. We need to find solutions. We\u2019re coming from the international break, and we\u2019ll evaluate everything to see how the players have recovered.\u201d Below, you can listen to Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral\u2019s full press conference ahead of the clash against Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid:","headings":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST)"}],"texts":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral spoke to the media this Friday to preview the team\u2019s clash with Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid, corresponding to Matchday 4 of LALIGA EA SPORTS, set for this Saturday at 9pm CEST at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The Asturian coach analysed the opposition, emphasised the difficulty of the fixture, and addressed several key aspects ahead of the match and regarding the team\u2019s current situation:"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"1. Return of the internationals\u201cYou\u2019re always happy after the international break when there are no injuries. Everyone has come back in good shape, and those who won are even happier. Representing their country is always something special for the players. We\u2019re very pleased to finally have the full squad available for the season. I\u2019m very satisfied. Now we face three exciting, beautiful and tough weeks, but we approach them with ambition and enthusiasm.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"2. Adaptation of new signings and available players\u201cWe haven\u2019t had much time to work all together. For the new arrivals, we\u2019ll try to help them adapt as quickly as possible. There are many matches ahead, and we won\u2019t be able to train normally. We count on all of them, plus Ayoze, who hadn\u2019t been with us in recent weeks. We welcome them all. Hopefully, this great squad becomes a magnificent team.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"3. A demanding, tight schedule\u201cWe all want to play these kinds of matches. We\u2019d rather play Champions League games than be training while waiting for league matches. The Champions League is for the best, and with everyone\u2019s effort, we\u2019ve earned the right to be there after an extraordinary season. Now we head to the Metropolitano with excitement. We\u2019re unbeaten in three matchdays and want to stay that way. These tough matches are welcome.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"4. Atl\u00e9tico, a dangerous rival\u201cThey\u2019re always a very dangerous team, especially at home. Last season, they only lost once at their stadium. Against Elche this season, they could have won. They\u2019ve got injuries now, but every team deals with that during the season. It will be a very tough match. Atl\u00e9tico are a great team with an extraordinary coach. We\u2019re motivated because we\u2019ve shown we can play at a high level. We\u2019re optimistic and ambitious. We want to win.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"5. Keys to getting a good result\u201cWhen we don\u2019t have the ball, we must defend very well. We need to stay efficient because they have great attacking players. Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s squad is very complete, with different profiles. We also have to attack with personality and counter-attack whenever possible. They\u2019re a team that recovers quickly, so it won\u2019t be easy. We\u2019ll need to find solutions throughout a very demanding match. We\u2019re also a good team. I expect a tight game, and the side that\u2019s more clinical will take the three points.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"6. Tight duels between Marcelino and Cholo Simeone\u201cI expect a balanced match. We\u2019re two strong teams. Last season, it was 2-2 and 1-1. Both teams have changed many players, but we still have the same coaches and similar ideas of play. We\u2019ll try to keep the solidity and ambition we\u2019ve shown so far. It\u2019ll be tough, but we need enthusiasm and ambition. This is a very important match for both teams.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"7. Matching last season\u2019s away form\u201cI prefer to look at the present and future rather than the past. Last season, we had many virtues, but this is a different campaign. We now face the challenge of playing in the Champions League for two straight years. Hopefully, we can replicate last season\u2019s away numbers. Tomorrow, we need to show our qualities at the Metropolitano. If we do, we\u2019ll be close to winning.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"8. Two highly demanding matches in 72 hours\u201cWe already knew this would be the case, and it doesn\u2019t condition us for this match. We\u2019ll have three days to recover. Atl\u00e9tico will have four, but then they\u2019ll have three. We need to find solutions. We\u2019re coming from the international break, and we\u2019ll evaluate everything to see how the players have recovered.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Below, you can listen to Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral\u2019s full press conference ahead of the clash against Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid:"}],"buttons":[],"images":[],"widgets":[],"blocks":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST)"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral spoke to the media this Friday to preview the team\u2019s clash with Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid, corresponding to Matchday 4 of LALIGA EA SPORTS, set for this Saturday at 9pm CEST at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The Asturian coach analysed the opposition, emphasised the difficulty of the fixture, and addressed several key aspects ahead of the match and regarding the team\u2019s current situation:"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"1. Return of the internationals\u201cYou\u2019re always happy after the international break when there are no injuries. Everyone has come back in good shape, and those who won are even happier. Representing their country is always something special for the players. We\u2019re very pleased to finally have the full squad available for the season. I\u2019m very satisfied. Now we face three exciting, beautiful and tough weeks, but we approach them with ambition and enthusiasm.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"2. Adaptation of new signings and available players\u201cWe haven\u2019t had much time to work all together. For the new arrivals, we\u2019ll try to help them adapt as quickly as possible. There are many matches ahead, and we won\u2019t be able to train normally. We count on all of them, plus Ayoze, who hadn\u2019t been with us in recent weeks. We welcome them all. Hopefully, this great squad becomes a magnificent team.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"3. A demanding, tight schedule\u201cWe all want to play these kinds of matches. We\u2019d rather play Champions League games than be training while waiting for league matches. The Champions League is for the best, and with everyone\u2019s effort, we\u2019ve earned the right to be there after an extraordinary season. Now we head to the Metropolitano with excitement. We\u2019re unbeaten in three matchdays and want to stay that way. These tough matches are welcome.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"4. Atl\u00e9tico, a dangerous rival\u201cThey\u2019re always a very dangerous team, especially at home. Last season, they only lost once at their stadium. Against Elche this season, they could have won. They\u2019ve got injuries now, but every team deals with that during the season. It will be a very tough match. Atl\u00e9tico are a great team with an extraordinary coach. We\u2019re motivated because we\u2019ve shown we can play at a high level. We\u2019re optimistic and ambitious. We want to win.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"5. Keys to getting a good result\u201cWhen we don\u2019t have the ball, we must defend very well. We need to stay efficient because they have great attacking players. Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s squad is very complete, with different profiles. We also have to attack with personality and counter-attack whenever possible. They\u2019re a team that recovers quickly, so it won\u2019t be easy. We\u2019ll need to find solutions throughout a very demanding match. We\u2019re also a good team. I expect a tight game, and the side that\u2019s more clinical will take the three points.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"6. Tight duels between Marcelino and Cholo Simeone\u201cI expect a balanced match. We\u2019re two strong teams. Last season, it was 2-2 and 1-1. Both teams have changed many players, but we still have the same coaches and similar ideas of play. We\u2019ll try to keep the solidity and ambition we\u2019ve shown so far. It\u2019ll be tough, but we need enthusiasm and ambition. This is a very important match for both teams.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"7. Matching last season\u2019s away form\u201cI prefer to look at the present and future rather than the past. Last season, we had many virtues, but this is a different campaign. We now face the challenge of playing in the Champions League for two straight years. Hopefully, we can replicate last season\u2019s away numbers. Tomorrow, we need to show our qualities at the Metropolitano. If we do, we\u2019ll be close to winning.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"8. Two highly demanding matches in 72 hours\u201cWe already knew this would be the case, and it doesn\u2019t condition us for this match. We\u2019ll have three days to recover. Atl\u00e9tico will have four, but then they\u2019ll have three. We need to find solutions. We\u2019re coming from the international break, and we\u2019ll evaluate everything to see how the players have recovered.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Below, you can listen to Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral\u2019s full press conference ahead of the clash against Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid:"},{"type":"video","kind":"iframe","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Q-S9icD-aYo?feature=oembed","poster":""}]}],"hero":{"id":"section-1","title":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST)","text":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST) Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral spoke to the media this Friday to preview the team\u2019s clash with Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid, corresponding to Matchday 4 of LALIGA EA SPORTS, set for this Saturday at 9pm CEST at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The Asturian coach analysed the opposition, emphasised the difficulty of the fixture, and addressed several key aspects ahead of the match and regarding the team\u2019s current situation: 1. Return of the internationals\u201cYou\u2019re always happy after the international break when there are no injuries. Everyone has come back in good shape, and those who won are even happier. Representing their country is always something special for the players. We\u2019re very pleased to finally have the full squad available for the season. I\u2019m very satisfied. Now we face three exciting, beautiful and tough weeks, but we approach them with ambition and enthusiasm.\u201d 2. Adaptation of new signings and available players\u201cWe haven\u2019t had much time to work all together. For the new arrivals, we\u2019ll try to help them adapt as quickly as possible. There are many matches ahead, and we won\u2019t be able to train normally. We count on all of them, plus Ayoze, who hadn\u2019t been with us in recent weeks. We welcome them all. Hopefully, this great squad becomes a magnificent team.\u201d 3. A demanding, tight schedule\u201cWe all want to play these kinds of matches. We\u2019d rather play Champions League games than be training while waiting for league matches. The Champions League is for the best, and with everyone\u2019s effort, we\u2019ve earned the right to be there after an extraordinary season. Now we head to the Metropolitano with excitement. We\u2019re unbeaten in three matchdays and want to stay that way. These tough matches are welcome.\u201d 4. Atl\u00e9tico, a dangerous rival\u201cThey\u2019re always a very dangerous team, especially at home. Last season, they only lost once at their stadium. Against Elche this season, they could have won. They\u2019ve got injuries now, but every team deals with that during the season. It will be a very tough match. Atl\u00e9tico are a great team with an extraordinary coach. We\u2019re motivated because we\u2019ve shown we can play at a high level. We\u2019re optimistic and ambitious. We want to win.\u201d 5. Keys to getting a good result\u201cWhen we don\u2019t have the ball, we must defend very well. We need to stay efficient because they have great attacking players. Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s squad is very complete, with different profiles. We also have to attack with personality and counter-attack whenever possible. They\u2019re a team that recovers quickly, so it won\u2019t be easy. We\u2019ll need to find solutions throughout a very demanding match. We\u2019re also a good team. I expect a tight game, and the side that\u2019s more clinical will take the three points.\u201d 6. Tight duels between Marcelino and Cholo Simeone\u201cI expect a balanced match. We\u2019re two strong teams. Last season, it was 2-2 and 1-1. Both teams have changed many players, but we still have the same coaches and similar ideas of play. We\u2019ll try to keep the solidity and ambition we\u2019ve shown so far. It\u2019ll be tough, but we need enthusiasm and ambition. This is a very important match for both teams.\u201d 7. Matching last season\u2019s away form\u201cI prefer to look at the present and future rather than the past. Last season, we had many virtues, but this is a different campaign. We now face the challenge of playing in the Champions League for two straight years. Hopefully, we can replicate last season\u2019s away numbers. Tomorrow, we need to show our qualities at the Metropolitano. If we do, we\u2019ll be close to winning.\u201d 8. Two highly demanding matches in 72 hours\u201cWe already knew this would be the case, and it doesn\u2019t condition us for this match. We\u2019ll have three days to recover. Atl\u00e9tico will have four, but then they\u2019ll have three. We need to find solutions. We\u2019re coming from the international break, and we\u2019ll evaluate everything to see how the players have recovered.\u201d Below, you can listen to Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral\u2019s full press conference ahead of the clash against Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid:","headings":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST)"}],"texts":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral spoke to the media this Friday to preview the team\u2019s clash with Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid, corresponding to Matchday 4 of LALIGA EA SPORTS, set for this Saturday at 9pm CEST at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The Asturian coach analysed the opposition, emphasised the difficulty of the fixture, and addressed several key aspects ahead of the match and regarding the team\u2019s current situation:"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"1. Return of the internationals\u201cYou\u2019re always happy after the international break when there are no injuries. Everyone has come back in good shape, and those who won are even happier. Representing their country is always something special for the players. We\u2019re very pleased to finally have the full squad available for the season. I\u2019m very satisfied. Now we face three exciting, beautiful and tough weeks, but we approach them with ambition and enthusiasm.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"2. Adaptation of new signings and available players\u201cWe haven\u2019t had much time to work all together. For the new arrivals, we\u2019ll try to help them adapt as quickly as possible. There are many matches ahead, and we won\u2019t be able to train normally. We count on all of them, plus Ayoze, who hadn\u2019t been with us in recent weeks. We welcome them all. Hopefully, this great squad becomes a magnificent team.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"3. A demanding, tight schedule\u201cWe all want to play these kinds of matches. We\u2019d rather play Champions League games than be training while waiting for league matches. The Champions League is for the best, and with everyone\u2019s effort, we\u2019ve earned the right to be there after an extraordinary season. Now we head to the Metropolitano with excitement. We\u2019re unbeaten in three matchdays and want to stay that way. These tough matches are welcome.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"4. Atl\u00e9tico, a dangerous rival\u201cThey\u2019re always a very dangerous team, especially at home. Last season, they only lost once at their stadium. Against Elche this season, they could have won. They\u2019ve got injuries now, but every team deals with that during the season. It will be a very tough match. Atl\u00e9tico are a great team with an extraordinary coach. We\u2019re motivated because we\u2019ve shown we can play at a high level. We\u2019re optimistic and ambitious. We want to win.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"5. Keys to getting a good result\u201cWhen we don\u2019t have the ball, we must defend very well. We need to stay efficient because they have great attacking players. Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s squad is very complete, with different profiles. We also have to attack with personality and counter-attack whenever possible. They\u2019re a team that recovers quickly, so it won\u2019t be easy. We\u2019ll need to find solutions throughout a very demanding match. We\u2019re also a good team. I expect a tight game, and the side that\u2019s more clinical will take the three points.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"6. Tight duels between Marcelino and Cholo Simeone\u201cI expect a balanced match. We\u2019re two strong teams. Last season, it was 2-2 and 1-1. Both teams have changed many players, but we still have the same coaches and similar ideas of play. We\u2019ll try to keep the solidity and ambition we\u2019ve shown so far. It\u2019ll be tough, but we need enthusiasm and ambition. This is a very important match for both teams.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"7. Matching last season\u2019s away form\u201cI prefer to look at the present and future rather than the past. Last season, we had many virtues, but this is a different campaign. We now face the challenge of playing in the Champions League for two straight years. Hopefully, we can replicate last season\u2019s away numbers. Tomorrow, we need to show our qualities at the Metropolitano. If we do, we\u2019ll be close to winning.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"8. Two highly demanding matches in 72 hours\u201cWe already knew this would be the case, and it doesn\u2019t condition us for this match. We\u2019ll have three days to recover. Atl\u00e9tico will have four, but then they\u2019ll have three. We need to find solutions. We\u2019re coming from the international break, and we\u2019ll evaluate everything to see how the players have recovered.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Below, you can listen to Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral\u2019s full press conference ahead of the clash against Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid:"}],"buttons":[],"images":[],"widgets":[],"blocks":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST)"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral spoke to the media this Friday to preview the team\u2019s clash with Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid, corresponding to Matchday 4 of LALIGA EA SPORTS, set for this Saturday at 9pm CEST at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The Asturian coach analysed the opposition, emphasised the difficulty of the fixture, and addressed several key aspects ahead of the match and regarding the team\u2019s current situation:"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"1. Return of the internationals\u201cYou\u2019re always happy after the international break when there are no injuries. Everyone has come back in good shape, and those who won are even happier. Representing their country is always something special for the players. We\u2019re very pleased to finally have the full squad available for the season. I\u2019m very satisfied. Now we face three exciting, beautiful and tough weeks, but we approach them with ambition and enthusiasm.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"2. Adaptation of new signings and available players\u201cWe haven\u2019t had much time to work all together. For the new arrivals, we\u2019ll try to help them adapt as quickly as possible. There are many matches ahead, and we won\u2019t be able to train normally. We count on all of them, plus Ayoze, who hadn\u2019t been with us in recent weeks. We welcome them all. Hopefully, this great squad becomes a magnificent team.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"3. A demanding, tight schedule\u201cWe all want to play these kinds of matches. We\u2019d rather play Champions League games than be training while waiting for league matches. The Champions League is for the best, and with everyone\u2019s effort, we\u2019ve earned the right to be there after an extraordinary season. Now we head to the Metropolitano with excitement. We\u2019re unbeaten in three matchdays and want to stay that way. These tough matches are welcome.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"4. Atl\u00e9tico, a dangerous rival\u201cThey\u2019re always a very dangerous team, especially at home. Last season, they only lost once at their stadium. Against Elche this season, they could have won. They\u2019ve got injuries now, but every team deals with that during the season. It will be a very tough match. Atl\u00e9tico are a great team with an extraordinary coach. We\u2019re motivated because we\u2019ve shown we can play at a high level. We\u2019re optimistic and ambitious. We want to win.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"5. Keys to getting a good result\u201cWhen we don\u2019t have the ball, we must defend very well. We need to stay efficient because they have great attacking players. Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s squad is very complete, with different profiles. We also have to attack with personality and counter-attack whenever possible. They\u2019re a team that recovers quickly, so it won\u2019t be easy. We\u2019ll need to find solutions throughout a very demanding match. We\u2019re also a good team. I expect a tight game, and the side that\u2019s more clinical will take the three points.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"6. Tight duels between Marcelino and Cholo Simeone\u201cI expect a balanced match. We\u2019re two strong teams. Last season, it was 2-2 and 1-1. Both teams have changed many players, but we still have the same coaches and similar ideas of play. We\u2019ll try to keep the solidity and ambition we\u2019ve shown so far. It\u2019ll be tough, but we need enthusiasm and ambition. This is a very important match for both teams.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"7. Matching last season\u2019s away form\u201cI prefer to look at the present and future rather than the past. Last season, we had many virtues, but this is a different campaign. We now face the challenge of playing in the Champions League for two straight years. Hopefully, we can replicate last season\u2019s away numbers. Tomorrow, we need to show our qualities at the Metropolitano. If we do, we\u2019ll be close to winning.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"8. Two highly demanding matches in 72 hours\u201cWe already knew this would be the case, and it doesn\u2019t condition us for this match. We\u2019ll have three days to recover. Atl\u00e9tico will have four, but then they\u2019ll have three. We need to find solutions. We\u2019re coming from the international break, and we\u2019ll evaluate everything to see how the players have recovered.\u201d"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Below, you can listen to Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral\u2019s full press conference ahead of the clash against Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid:"},{"type":"video","kind":"iframe","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Q-S9icD-aYo?feature=oembed","poster":""}]}},"sections":[{"id":"section-1","title":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST)","text":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST) Villarreal CF head coach Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral spoke to the media this Friday to preview the team\u2019s clash with Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid, corresponding to Matchday 4 of LALIGA EA SPORTS, set for this Saturday at 9pm CEST at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The Asturian coach analysed the opposition, emphasised the difficulty of the fixture, and addressed several key aspects ahead of the match and regarding the team\u2019s current situation: 1. Return of the internationals\u201cYou\u2019re always happy after the international break when there are no injuries. Everyone has come back in good shape, and those who won are even happier. Representing their country is always something special for the players. We\u2019re very pleased to finally have the full squad available for the season. I\u2019m very satisfied. Now we face three exciting, beautiful and tough weeks, but we approach them with ambition and enthusiasm.\u201d 2. Adaptation of new signings and available players\u201cWe haven\u2019t had much time to work all together. For the new arrivals, we\u2019ll try to help them adapt as quickly as possible. There are many matches ahead, and we won\u2019t be able to train normally. We count on all of them, plus Ayoze, who hadn\u2019t been with us in recent weeks. We welcome them all. Hopefully, this great squad becomes a magnificent team.\u201d 3. A demanding, tight schedule\u201cWe all want to play these kinds of matches. We\u2019d rather play Champions League games than be training while waiting for league matches. The Champions League is for the best, and with everyone\u2019s effort, we\u2019ve earned the right to be there after an extraordinary season. Now we head to the Metropolitano with excitement. We\u2019re unbeaten in three matchdays and want to stay that way. These tough matches are welcome.\u201d 4. Atl\u00e9tico, a dangerous rival\u201cThey\u2019re always a very dangerous team, especially at home. Last season, they only lost once at their stadium. Against Elche this season, they could have won. They\u2019ve got injuries now, but every team deals with that during the season. It will be a very tough match. Atl\u00e9tico are a great team with an extraordinary coach. We\u2019re motivated because we\u2019ve shown we can play at a high level. We\u2019re optimistic and ambitious. We want to win.\u201d 5. Keys to getting a good result\u201cWhen we don\u2019t have the ball, we must defend very well. We need to stay efficient because they have great attacking players. Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s squad is very complete, with different profiles. We also have to attack with personality and counter-attack whenever possible. They\u2019re a team that recovers quickly, so it won\u2019t be easy. We\u2019ll need to find solutions throughout a very demanding match. We\u2019re also a good team. I expect a tight game, and the side that\u2019s more clinical will take the three points.\u201d 6. Tight duels between Marcelino and Cholo Simeone\u201cI expect a balanced match. We\u2019re two strong teams. Last season, it was 2-2 and 1-1. Both teams have changed many players, but we still have the same coaches and similar ideas of play. We\u2019ll try to keep the solidity and ambition we\u2019ve shown so far. It\u2019ll be tough, but we need enthusiasm and ambition. This is a very important match for both teams.\u201d 7. Matching last season\u2019s away form\u201cI prefer to look at the present and future rather than the past. Last season, we had many virtues, but this is a different campaign. We now face the challenge of playing in the Champions League for two straight years. Hopefully, we can replicate last season\u2019s away numbers. Tomorrow, we need to show our qualities at the Metropolitano. If we do, we\u2019ll be close to winning.\u201d 8. Two highly demanding matches in 72 hours\u201cWe already knew this would be the case, and it doesn\u2019t condition us for this match. We\u2019ll have three days to recover. Atl\u00e9tico will have four, but then they\u2019ll have three. We need to find solutions. We\u2019re coming from the international break, and we\u2019ll evaluate everything to see how the players have recovered.\u201d Below, you can listen to Marcelino Garc\u00eda Toral\u2019s full press conference ahead of the clash against Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid:","url":"","background_image":"","images":[],"videos":[{"type":"video","kind":"iframe","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Q-S9icD-aYo?feature=oembed","poster":""}],"links":[]}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Marcelino urges his team to show personality against a tough Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid side (Saturday, 9pm CEST)","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":604349,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13494],"tags":[15131,14767,4866],"acf":null,"lang":"en","formatted_date":"September 12, 2025","modified_date":"September 12, 2025","permalink":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/en\/efficiency-and-solidity-as-an-antidote-to-parity-at-the-metropolitano\/","reading_time":4,"featured_media_data":{"id":604349,"title":"","caption":"","alt_text":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM.jpg","sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM-768x432.jpg","width":768,"height":432},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM.jpg","width":788,"height":443},"1536x1536":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM-1536x864.jpg","width":1536,"height":864},"2048x2048":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080},"tp-image-grid":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM-700x700.jpg","width":700,"height":700},"size-bunyad-medium":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080},"sportspress-crop-medium":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM-300x300.jpg","width":300,"height":300},"sportspress-fit-medium":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM-300x169.jpg","width":300,"height":169},"sportspress-fit-icon":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM-128x72.jpg","width":128,"height":72},"sportspress-fit-mini":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM-32x18.jpg","width":32,"height":18},"bunyad-small":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM-150x84.jpg","width":150,"height":84},"bunyad-medium":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM-450x253.jpg","width":450,"height":253},"bunyad-full":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM-1200x675.jpg","width":1200,"height":675},"bunyad-viewport":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080},"bunyad-768":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM-768x432.jpg","width":768,"height":432},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Marcelino_previa_ATM.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080}}},"author_data":{"id":"25","name":"Javier Ayuso","first_name":"Javier","last_name":"Ayuso","description":"","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fcf8894be45988fcce5bbff0efe1790d2a7f4ba57e2c7c898f5068154e696495?s=96&d=mm&r=g","acf":null},"taxonomies_data":{"category":[{"id":13494,"name":"First Team","slug":"first-team","acf":null}],"post_tag":[{"id":15131,"name":"C\u00edvitas Metropolitano","slug":"civitas-metropolitano-2-en","acf":null},{"id":14767,"name":"LaLiga EA Sports","slug":"laliga-ea-sports-en","acf":null},{"id":4866,"name":"Submarine","slug":"submarino","acf":null}],"translation_priority":[{"id":734,"name":"Optional","slug":"optional-en","acf":null}]},"seo_full":{"native":{"title":"Efficiency and solidity as an antidote to parity at the Metropolitano - 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