New season
“After what we experienced last season, we’ve had very little time to prepare, but we know what the project is. It's a continuous project, with young players and few new signings. I see the team in good shape, but now the competition begins and there’s not much more we can do. We know each other better, and everything we went through was incredible... Every match was like a final, and achieving our goal has lifted a weight off the lads’ shoulders. They have a lot of energy, a lot of excitement, and they’re very eager. The most important thing is the unity between the fans, the club, and the players. We’re ready, and tomorrow marks the start of what promises to be a very exciting season.”
Team identity
“We want to see a brave and bold team, which is what we saw during the preseason. We’ve made some changes, adjusted certain mechanisms, but the most important thing is that the players know each other better, something that wasn’t evident last year because they hadn’t spent as much time together. Now, it’s clear. We know that in this league, individual names don’t mean anything, it’s about collective spirit and being a team. Here, any rival can beat anyone, so we need to be united and apply the tactical and physical aspects we’ve been working on this past month. This season, we’re going to see more liberated players who will step up. Maintaining continuity within the group is very important. The league will shape our day-to-day, but I see players who didn’t get much game time last year now filled with enthusiasm and determination. I see a more cohesive group, and that’s going to make us a more solid team, even with such young players. And if we have to play with youngsters, then we will. We are the first in terms of history and expectations, but also the last to arrive. Both the players and the coaching staff need to live up to the fans who give everything for us and the club. A very exciting season awaits.”
Racing de Ferrol
“It’s a team that has made more than 10 new signings, and the only thing that remains the same is the coach and his philosophy. It’s their second season in the league, and last season they were one of the best teams, despite being newly promoted. That’s the example we need to follow. They have a new squad, but the same idea that made them successful last season. It’s going to be a tough match, where the important things will be the details, whether you’re in control or being controlled, and paying close attention to set pieces. Yesterday, all three goals came from set plays. We need to know how to manage every situation and adapt to all contexts.”
Academy players
“The season is long, and only 24 players are called up, with only 11 starting. I see them performing very well, and I have high hopes for them. I treat them as if they were first-team players, though we must be cautious with them. Few teams can say they have 16 and 17-year-old players in their squads at this level.”
Surpassing Muñiz in matches
“It would be a great sign for everyone. For me, it’s a dream, like an eternal love, but in the end, it’s not something I focus on. I concentrate on the day-to-day. These have been very challenging years, but I still have the same excitement and passion as when I first arrived here.”