Rubén Uría: “The dream is to reach another final”
Rubén Uría: “The dream is to reach another final”
Athletic Club’s assistant coach Rubén Uría has described Atlético Mancha Real as a “dynamic, lively team with a strong set-piece”
Although Marcelino has recovered from COVID-19 and will lead the side in Mancha Real, Rubén Uria was once again on media duties. The assistant boss said Athletic Club are heading into this year’s Copa del Rey with the same intention as always, to win it.
The Lions kick off their 2021/22 Copa campaign on Thursday night with a visit to Andalusian city Jaen, where they’ll face Segunda RFEF side Atlético Mancha Real at 20:00 CET.
“We’re five matches away from playing in a final,” Uría said at a pre-match press conference in Lezama. “It is a short, special and intense competition which means a lot to Athletic Club and to our fans. We’re going to approach it with the dream of reaching another final.
“The team is good. They’re happy after having played well on Monday and they’re fully motivated to do well in this competition.”
Spirits in Lezama are high after Monday night’s convincing 1-3 win over CA Osasuna at El Sadar. However, Uría promised there would be no complacency when it comes to facing Atlético Mancha Real, ‘respect’ being the word the assistant used to describe a side who eliminated Granada CF in their latest Copa outing.
“Winning, creating chances and scoring them is always brings good feelings,” he said. “The team is happy with the game at El Sadar and confident of repeating the feat.”
He continued: “The match against Atlético Mancha Real could be described as a trap. They’ve already knocked out a top-flight side. So, we’ll have to stick to our game plan and approach the game with the utmost respect for our opponents.
“They’re a dynamic, lively team who do well at set-pieces, but logic dictates that we should go. We’ll have to play with intensity. Mancha Real, their fans and the ground will put us under pressure. For that reason, we’ve been working on an artificial surface to get used to their pitch.”
Athletic are kicking off January with three matches in the first week alone. Uría hinted that the busy schedule would force them into making changes to the squad and starting XI.
“For sure, we’ll make some changes, but those who travel will be the best prepared to play this match,” he added. “We have to play a balancing act, we’ve just played a big match in LaLiga and on Sunday we have another one.
“Nonetheless, the team we pick tomorrow should be able to win. But every match is different and we have to be focused on what tomorrow’s will bring.”