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Press conference

Pellicer: “Fuenlabrada is a crucial test”

The Blue and White coach held a remote press conference, at La Rosaleda, the day before #FuenlaMálaga. “A win would allow us to look higher up”, he stated.

Last match

"After the great effort made in the last game, we’ve had little time to recover. There are players suffering with muscle strains, which is normal in competition, and we’ll see who’ll be in the starting-11 at the last minute. It’s a match marathon, players will have to go on and we’ll need to turn this around. They’re not machines and we’re looking at the injuries there are in the competition. At the moment, with the match calendar we’ve got, having a consistent starting line-up just isn’t possible. We’ll be facing a tough rival at their home ground. We must focus on tomorrow’s game, which is the most important”.

Kevin, new addition

"Kevin’s in the squad list, as are Juan Cruz and Julio. We have privileged information and there’s fluid communication with the coaching team, sports management, Duda…Due to the injuries we have, we’re completing the squad with these players, who are working very well. We want them to continue competing in the reserve team as they have been doing, and if they are chosen for the first team, they should play as if there’s no tomorrow. They need to work hard, there’s no red carpet for anyone. We don’t focus on their ID, only on their performance. We’re looking at our homegrown players, who must continue competing at all times with the reserves or first team”.

Good rival

"Fuenlabrada are a historic member of the community of Madrid and want to become a Spanish footballing great. They’ve made a very strong investment, with players like Mula, and at squad level, they want to be in the playoffs. They are a physical side and haven’t lost at their stadium. They’re very strong at home. We’re going there with the idea of winning the three points, beyond tactics, we’ll try to be more effective in defence. We know how we’re going to play, the only thing is the issue of names, we’ll have to see how some players evolve. The objective is clear. We want to be strong away from home. It will be a crucial test as a win would allow us to look higher up”.

Team, no individuals

"We are a team. The most important thing isn’t the amount of games played, but the quality. We’re very pleased with the group. In regard to Cristian, he was at a very high level, like the rest of the team, two games ago. I don’t want to talk about individuals. We are all one, there are no stars, the only star is the club and the Málaga Club de Fútbol shield. We need to create an identity and find the players’ best moments”.

Realism and demand

"The next match is always the most important. In a short space of time there are many points at stake. There are dynamics and we want to maintain that balance of earning points each week. Our objective is to look at each match at a time, be ambitious and keep our feet on the ground. A realistic message, but a highly demanding one. In defeats we mustn’t lose our self-esteem. We’ll know how we’re going to fight in every match”.

Juande and the homegrown players

"Beyond the four goals, for me the most important thing isn’t just about Juande, but all the players moving up the ranks. They go from being boys to men. They experience both criticism and praise, it’s individual and collective growth, and they have to rebuild themselves so as to achieve mental balance. The best thing is to be able to rally from that rollercoaster (…) Having come from the youth ranks, we know a lot of the young players. Juande earned his place on the team himself, with his performance. There are moments that Juande and some of his teammates experienced in the Third Division not long ago, and now they’re competing in the elite. It’s about continuity and stability, a reflection for society and young people to be able to overcome obstacles in the face of adversity. This is a competitive jungle, at coach and player level, and in each training session you have to evolve and improve. He is a reflection of this on a physical, technical and mental level. Humility and hard work will allow him to continue growing as a footballer and as a person".

Better away from home

"The statistics are there. At our home ground it’s a struggle to win the three points. Away from home we’re much better than last year. There are many factors, the rival, the fans…There’s football before COVID and football after COVID, and the crowd factor doesn’t exist. Against Cartagena we’ll have to rectify the defects, something we must do in home games”.