Manolo Sánchez, the second Malaguista coach, took part in the typical pre-match press conference prior to the clash with RC Recreativo de Huelva (M 7, Nuevo Colombino, Sunday 8 at 20:00). He stood in for first coach, Sergio Pellicer, who is recovering from the minor surgery he underwent on Wednesday.
Focused on our work
“We’ve had five victories in a row, which is not easy to achieve. We shouldn’t look at any team's position in the standings, we are Málaga. We have to be able to focus on Sunday, get the three points with what we have and dedicate a beautiful win to all the people who are travelling to Huelva.”
It remains uncertain whether Pellicer will be able to coach Sunday’s game or not
“Let's hope the coach is there, he’s taking each day at a time. I’m always prepared, I’ve been doing this for many years. I had the opportunity against Girona, Leganés and Castellón. We have been in direct communication, we have the same idea from all these years together. We will convey to the players what we have to do.”
A tough starting-11 to choose
“We have three matches coming up in 12 days and we have a high training pace. This gives you the option of having many players, having that variety. They show us that they want to play with a very intense pace, and it’s more difficult to make decisions. They are all ready to play.”
A different atmosphere to last season
“They are different circumstances. I have a good relationship with them, I see a very healthy group with people with tremendous hunger and enthusiasm. That is transmitted on the field of play and there’s a great atmosphere in the dressing room. Hopefully they can prolong what we’re doing.”
RC Recreativo de Huelva, a complex rival
“We’ve seen the last 3-4 Recre games. Out of six games they’ve only conceded in three. The system has changed a lot, they’re a team that knows how to compete and what it wants. They move very well into spaces, Caye generates many breaks. We know their strengths and weaknesses, we have several game plans. We are going to try to hurt them and dedicate a beautiful win to all the Malaguista fans there.”
Sergio Pellicer, a mentor and an example
“I would highlight how Sergio is as a person, we’ve been together for 10 years. He educated me in daily habits, with the ability to observe small details and control certain aspects. The dressing room management is very good, and the model of adapting to the players makes a difference. We’ve been together for many years and that is what I would emphasise.”
