The Madrid coach valued the break for his team to now face the final and decisive stretch of the season and achieve salvation as soon as possible, reaching the goal set by Míchel of 42 points to have peace of mind.
The coach of the red and white team praised Villarreal, who has been linked in case Marcelino does not renew his contract, and explained the great dangers of a team that has competed in the Champions League and that is close to closing participation for the next season.
The coach of the Girona team did not speculate at all about his future, which rumors link with Ajax or, precisely, Villarreal, to once again make a declaration of love for Girona. Míchel is focused on the present and stated that the first one he will speak to will be the club that has given him everything.
For the match, Míchel assured that he recovers Stuani and Bryan Gil for the cause, something that leaves him alone with the long-term injuries in the infirmary, Ter Stegen and Van de Beek, and Portu and Juan Carlos without a number for weeks.
Template status: “The good news is that we only have long-term injuries and that we have recovered Stuani and Bryan Gil, in addition to other players who were injured. We have trained well and we are prepared to face a complicated match. We need points and we have to be focused on what we are at stake.”
Villarreal: “They are a great team and have a very controlled game system. Their transitions are lethal and they have adequate players to make them. They are third, they are always dangerous beyond knowing the results of their rivals, but you have to see the need we have on the pitch.”
Montilivi: “I hope it doesn’t cost less to be dominant in Montilivi since I also want us to be dominant outside. We have tools, concepts and methods that we must always use, on a day-to-day basis. That is the mentality that I try to instill in the player since only then will we be regular, I don’t like the ups and downs.”
42 points: “We are eight and we must get them as quickly as possible. We are playing for three important points at home, we have five games at home and four away and we have to make it count. Of the teams with 37 or below, we all think about adding those 42, we have 34 and it will be complicated but we have to be together, we will suffer and we have been suffering for a long time, but we must be strong and have a mentality of steel.”
Open match: “If so, bad for us. We must control their transitions since they control the spaces very well and where each player must defend to be effective.”
Your future: “The most important thing is the present. I am in love with Girona and I am in love with football. I need an environment where I can be happy and here I am. My concern is the game against Villarreal and that is what I try to tell the players, since they have to finish their contract, or they will go to the World Cup. Now we are a family and we have to finish the work. When the work is done, we will talk about everything, but the first one I will talk to will be the club, which has given me everything.”
close the circle: “After the first 10 days everyone said that we would go down to second. In Villarreal we played a very bad game, the worst of the five years I have been at Girona and to beat them in Montilivi, adding 37 points with eight games left… it would be a small demonstration that we are leaving the UCI.”1