Luís Castro Prepares Levante for Villarreal Clash

omidbasir- Luís Castro, the coach of Levante, reviews the team’s current situation in anticipation of their match against Villarreal. The Portuguese manager has stated that the squad has moved on from their defeat against Valencia and is determined to give their utmost in the remaining games.

Reflecting on the loss to Valencia, Castro noted, “The team is focused on Villarreal. We have turned the page and must look forward.”

Addressing the need to respond to their fans with a victory, he added, “We will strive to give our maximum effort in every match. Losing a game you wanted to win is disappointing, but it doesn’t mean we played poorly. They scored two goals on the counter, and even in victory, things aren’t perfect; conversely, losing doesn’t mean everything is bad. We must keep working hard. Our goal is to win against Villarreal, just as we aim to win every game.”

On the availability of Etta Eyong, he mentioned, “Etta Eyong is ready for the match.”

Regarding injuries, Castro stated, “Pablo Martínez will be sidelined for a while, and Ugo has trained for the first time today. We will consult with the medical staff to assess how he feels. Unai Elgezabal has experienced some discomfort from his knee injury, which is understandable, but that’s it for now.”

Discussing center midfield issues, he remarked, “Several players have been training exceptionally well and deserve to start, yet they haven’t been playing. The suspension of Arriaga and Pablo’s injury will create opportunities for others, and I hope that when Pablo and Arriaga return, I will have more challenging decisions to make regarding the starting eleven.”

On player rotations, he explained, “We have a match just two days later, and some players are fatigued. We will make the best decisions for each position, but we will field our strongest lineup for the upcoming match. Changes are normal due to injuries or suspensions, but we are preparing our best eleven to compete against Villarreal.”

Regarding Kervin Arriaga’s suspension, Castro stated, “I believe it’s just one match due to two yellow cards. Typically, that results in a one-match ban. I don’t think it could be anything else since it wasn’t a direct red. He has spoken to me, and he understands the importance of keeping a level head. He will learn from this experience. He came to discuss it with us.”

When asked about offensive issues, Castro said, “We wanted to create more chances. Our first half wasn’t great, but if you check the statistics, you’ll see the number of shots both teams had. The team that generated more opportunities ultimately lost. We aimed to do better, but if we had scored a goal and they hadn’t capitalized on their transitions, our feelings would have been different. The match against Valencia is behind us; now we focus on Villarreal, one of the strongest teams in the league. We must give our all against them.”

Concerning fears of relegation after the Valencia defeat, he asserted, “Who feels that way? I don’t think like that. I can’t change how others feel. When I came here, people called me foolish because the team had been relegated. Many told me it was impossible to save the club. If we compare our current points average to the past, we are doing better now. We’ve played against teams like Athletic, Atlético, and Sevilla, and our points average is superior. No one expected that. I encourage those who think like me to join me in striving for our goal.”

Identifying strategies to stop Villarreal, he commented, “Once again, we’re discussing wins and losses without focusing on gameplay quality. Villarreal has had matches where they didn’t win but still posed a threat to their opponents. In terms of team concepts, they are one of the best. They possess qualities that I admire. We must remain concentrated to neutralize them and be at 100% throughout the match.”

On Carlos Álvarez and his pubalgia, he explained, “We are continuously working on his physical condition, trying to minimize load to ensure he is in peak form for matches. Carlos is a player with different characteristics, and we are working on positioning him to receive the ball. However, when you want to have the ball frequently, you often end up in areas where you cannot dictate the outcome. I’ve watched his matches from both the Segunda and Primera Divisions, and they are quite different. We hope Carlos can regain his best form.”

Finally, regarding the controversy involving Cömert and a potential sanction, Castro stated, “I’m not going to discuss that issue, but I don’t foresee a sanction for the club. I believe everyone has seen what transpired, and the reasons for the confusion are quite clear. I cannot control what happens.”