Marcelino: “We are going to try to be in the fight for Europe”

“We arrived well, with enthusiasm, to the game. We have shown that we are a good team during most of the competition. We made a big mistake against Pontevedra in a different competition and lost against Athletic. Now we play against a team that aspires to the same as us, a direct rival, in our field. We face the duel with the hope of winning,” he said. Marcelino in his first intervention.

Furthermore, the groguet coach has stressed the need to compete at the highest leveldespite the casualties: “We are in a streak now in which injuries accumulate and we begin to complete the sanction cycle. These things happen. It’s football. Despite this, we have football arguments and players available to perform at the highest level. “We ask people to help us.”

Villarreal celebrates a goal last season. Source: Getty Images/Fran Santiago

In the same line, Marcelino has made a appeal to the fans to support the team in a match of utmost importance for the Groguets: “We are playing against a direct rival. It is the moment when the team needs support and help from the fans. We play at the Estadio de la Cerámica and we must become stronger here to stay at the top of the table. We face a direct rival and we have to compete to the maximum.”

In addition to Betis, the groguet team hosts Rayo Vallecano this Wednesday at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Two matches of utmost importance to try to add six points: “We come from two bad results. We can talk about recovering in that sense. Not at a qualifying level. We have competed in the league at a good level, although due to small details we have missed points like the day at Girona. We also knew how to compete against Athletic, but the rival was decisive in both areas. Now, let’s focus on each match. Try to beat Betis and then win the next one to be able to finish the year as high as possible.”

Mosquera fights an aerial ball. Source: Getty Images/ Aitor Alcalde

Besides, Marcelino has exalted the level of Real Betisdirect rival in the fight for Europe: “It comes from competing against Barça very well and beating At. Madrid. I think Betis has a very good team, but they have had many injuries and, above all, an accumulation of injuries in the same position, especially in the central part. It is one of the teams that arrives the most, that finishes the most and that finishes the least. Their numbers are not high in offensive efficiency, but I think they are a team that has not scored the points it deserved. It is a good team that will demand our highest level, success and very high performance. In our stadium we have the capacity to beat any rival and we have to show it.”

Finally, Marcelino has valued the fight for the European posts: “We are going to try to be in a fight for Europe with other, at least, four teams. Of those teams, the only one that is not in Europe is us. The others are established teams that are playing in Europe, and we come from a difficult situation. We are fighting for a beautiful goal, which we consider to be Villarreal’s place, but now we are not in that place.”