Marcelino: “We want to back up our good play with a result”
Marcelino: “We want to back up our good play with a result”
The head coach is confident his side can maintain their good form and beat RC Celta on Saturday to get a first win of the season
Athletic Club head coach Marcelino García Toral wants to see the team reinforce their recent good performances with a first victory of the season.
The Lions gave a good account of themselves against Elche CF (0-0) and FC Barcelona (1-1), but are still without a win in LaLiga Santander 21-22.
On Saturday afternoon at 17:00 CEST, Athletic face RC Celta at Balaídos, and Marcelino promised Los Rojiblancos will be going all out for the three points.
“We’re looking good, the team is training well,” Marcelino said at his routine pre-match press conference in Lezama.
“We have the mentality, desire and enthusiasm required to pick up our first victory [of the season]. Last weekend it slipped away from us when we were so close.
“We have 90 minutes to back up our good play and the team’s competitive level with a result. We must play with courage and conviction.”
The gaffer warned Celta would be tough opposition at their home ground, singling out the quality Los Celestes have in their squad.
“We’re playing away from home against a good team,” Marcelino added. “We’ll have to defend very well against those players.
“We’re expecting it to be really difficult, but we expect that in every match.
“Our success will depend on us seeing our opponents as our biggest possible enemy at that moment, regardless of the name of the team.”
Athletic were unlucky to only come away with one point against FC Barcelona last weekend, but Marcelino believes the performance was a good indicator of what the Lions can do.
He said: “It would be difficult to always play the way we did against Barça. But what we are capable of is playing and competing at that level.
“We can’t lower our competitive level. If we play that kind of game several times, we’ll win more than we’ll draw or lose.”
Unai Simón and Iñigo Martínez were called up to the Spain squad for the September internationals, while five youngsters were also selected to play in next month’s qualifying fixtures for the 2023 European Under-21 Championship.
“We have a young team,” Marcelino started. “We must be demanding, but they’ll also need our co-operation.
“First of all, we have to be a good team, because if we are, it’s more likely players will be called up to their national teams.
“We have to be demanding, look after them and try to get them to improve and consolidate their place in Athletic’s line-up.”