It was a multiple presentation day at La Rosaleda. The five most recent signings to Málaga CF - Juanfran, Bustinza, Febas, Fran Sol and Rubén Castro – held a joint press conference at the Martiricos press room, followed by a subsequent photo session on the pitch.
Juanfran
Málaga CF's new right-back, who enjoyed a long career in LaLiga before his last stage in Turkey, commented: “I have confidence in myself and that's why I'm here. This is a club with a lot of pressure and demands, but I'm calm and motivated.”
Juanfran has been training under Guede for more than a week this pre-season. “The coach likes to work hard, and the training we’re doing now is the fuel for the season,” he said. He added that “if you want to achieve great things, you have to work hard. It has to be an important year, with the hope of returning Málaga to the First Division,” he stated.
Lastly, he talked about the Malaguista fans and the atmosphere generated at La Rosaleda. “We’ve had an enthusiastic welcome, which helps us to work hard and stay focused. Knowing they’ll be there is important. As a visitor it’s a tough ground, but their support is essential to achieve our objectives,” he concluded.
Bustinza
The first question he answered in the 'Juan Cortés' press room at La Rosaleda was about his vision of the team and the upcoming season. “Right now, we’re all starting from the same point in LaLiga, and each team sets the biggest challenges for themselves. We are several teams that, given the choice, would fight for the same goal. The work and the mindset have to move in the same direction.”
Bustinza discussed the work being done in defence. “We’re concentrating on different systems with the coach, not just three at the back. I’ve played in a line of five with Juanfran and I felt very comfortable, just like in a line of four. I have no problem playing with one system or the other,” he added.
Febas
Firstly, he was asked about his return: “I said that I wanted to continue. The club did its job, I did mine and I hope it will be a good season.”
His experience as a Blue and White was crucial to determine his return. “Last year I was so happy playing here and being in the city. I was happy and my first option was always to return. I’m thrilled to be here again, we’re working hard and doing all we can to be better than last year,” he commented.
In regard to the new squad, he opined: “I see a great deal of hunger within the team, an eagerness to do things well, working hard in training.”
He also spoke about the position he may play in. “The coach wants us to adapt to more than one position, to be versatile, so we can have two or three options to fit into the system.”
Fran Sol
The Malaguista number ‘9’ said “the profile that Manolo Gaspar has opted for is that of experience and that level of maturity that will help the very talented young players.”
He also talked about adapting to the attack with Rubén Castro. “We are complementing each other. He positions himself well and has a gift for goal. I can bring hard work, effort and goals to fight for something beautiful,” he added.
The Blue and White striker didn’t want to specify a number of goals, but he did reason that he “would like to score the goals that would bring points. Hopefully we'll score 10 goals each and earn 60 points with those goals.”
Rubén Castro
The striker from the Canary Islands said he came to Málaga CF “because of the confidence the coach gave me, I talked to him and he wanted me to be here.”
“Both Manolo and the coach said they were going to devise a great project to achieve great things.”
The importance of joining the Blue and White discipline has been “the desire to continue and be ambitious. I arrived here with the enthusiasm of a 25-year-old and that is what keeps me playing. I feel good, the injuries are respecting me, I’m raring to go and hopefully this year I will continue to score lots of goals.”
