Preseason
“The assessment is positive, with many areas to improve. As the team accumulates more training sessions, the players get to know each other better, and now the focus is on building that human connection to convey family values combined with high standards and great humility. Our strength lies in the group. It’s about instilling that shared spirit along with technical-tactical, physical, and psychological concepts, always aiming to improve.”
Objectives
“Habits are very important. It’s about managing the group and getting to know each other better. There will always be changes, with a focus on the development of the footballer, especially the individual growth of each player. That’s the key to improving everything we aim for.”
Friendlies
“Excitement? Humility. I prefer to create these situations, the players are the main focus, and this is a period to accumulate minutes. It’s about improving, preseason results don’t matter at all. What matters are the feelings, getting to know each other better in technical-tactical aspects, mentality, and physical condition. I have an amazing group, and we want the new players to adapt as quickly as possible.”
Coordination with the sporting management
“This summer has been the best in terms of timing and having a clear understanding of the profiles we need. I also want to thank all the players who joined us two years ago and have helped us a lot with their commitment and professionalism. Behind every player, there are people, and both the sporting management and we must seek what’s best. We still need a couple of reinforcements, but Loren and his staff are setting the pace, and we’re all in good sync.”
Updates to his staff
“I’m very happy with the coaching team. After Manolo (Sánchez) left, he’s like a son to me and has grown up, we made some changes. With Dani (Jiménez), we’re sending a message to all the youth coaches that the doors are open; Capa, who worked with me and is top-notch; and Ale Acejo, who’s one of us, a true Malaguista, with coaching experience at Sevilla and later as assistant coach under Machín. He will bring valuable experience and a competitive spirit. We have a coaching staff with a unique sense of belonging.”
Signings
“The feelings are positive, except for the minor injury Eneko suffered, these things happen during preseason. However, we’re very pleased with the adaptation, especially of the players who have been with us for two years. They are the key foundation, along with our fans, to achieving our primary goal, improving on last year’s performance with great enthusiasm and ambition.”
Management and processes
“The most important thing right now is managing hopes and moments of frustration, and that will guide our path. We have a very good week of training ahead in Estepona. On Friday, we travel to Oxford, and then comes the match against Betis. We are focused on improving to reach the start of the season in the best possible condition and peak at our highest level for the first game at home against Eibar. This is our process, taking it day by day, focusing on improvement, and continuing to manage those hopes. And being ambitious. From there, we know the path because we’ve already experienced it in past seasons. I believe we have a very exciting year ahead, both individually and collectively, staying humble but with great ambition.”
Malaguista fans
“No words. The fans are the driving force of Málaga CF. Málaga CF is them. That passion, passed down from parents to children, is fostering something I hope lasts for many years to come. The promotion last year was very important, they carried us on their shoulders, and there’s an ever-growing sense of Malaguismo. On the field, the players take the lead, but the club’s main protagonists are the fans. It’s a responsibility I constantly remind my players and coaching staff about, we manage a lot of emotions, and our motto is: never stop fighting, for our people.”
