VILLARREAL (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – On the eve of the Champions League match against Juventus, which will be played at the Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal coach Marcelino emphasized in a press conference the importance of a fixture he calls “special,” being the club’s first home match in this season’s tournament: “It’s a privilege that I wouldn’t have imagined two years ago. We’re facing a great team and we want to give our fans something to be proud of.” The Spanish coach spoke of a growing squad, building on recent successes in La Liga and the experience gained in their European debut: “We’ve shown we can compete with anyone, now we need confidence and consistency.”
Regarding injuries, Ayoze Perez and Gerard Moreno will be out, while Santi Comesana is available and Rafa Marin is expected to recover from a knock in training. Looking at his opponents, Marcelino dismissed the idea of a Juventus in the process of rebuilding: “They’re a team with world-class individuals, very physically powerful and with great offensive quality: Openda, David, Vlahovic, Yildiz are very high-profile players, but we can compete, especially on our own pitch.” Central to the coach’s words is the concept of the team: “To win, you need 16 players, not just the starting eleven. What counts is team spirit, sacrifice, and putting personal interests before personal ones.”
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
