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Blanco: “We are going to give it our all”
The B team coach previews the impending season
RCD Espanyol B begin their season on Saturday when they welcome UE Olot to the Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque.
The 2022/23 season will see the young pericos led by B team coach, Luis Blanco who is going into his second full season at the helm. Ahead of the Segunda RFEF opener, the coach reflected on the squad’s preparations and looked ahead to the new season.
Speaking to EspanyolMEDIA, Blanco said, “Pre-season has gone very well. It has been a long pre-season, due to the fact that we normally have to start very close to the first team’s start date to give support to them. The team has progressed a lot.
“We have established the foundations that we want for the season and in principle we believe that we are now in the best condition for the first game of the season.”
Blanco has managed at multiple levels of the Espanyol setup, including the first team when he spent two months as interim manager at the end of last season. The Spaniard oversaw the final two matches in which he remained unbeaten in his caretaker period.
“It was a nice experience,” Blanco said, “It was a really specific situation. For me it was a case of enjoying it first. I really enjoyed the experience, but seeing another level or different things and just having the opportunity to spend that time with the first team.”
He added, “Now I'm back with the boys. I love being with the boys, the daily work with them is great and we are going to give it our all to have a good season.”
Newly promoted Olot pose an exciting opening fixture of the Segunda RFEF, as Espanyol B look to start the campaign as they mean to go on. Blanco spoke on the strengths of the squad and what they can offer, as well as what they will look to gain this year.
He said, “It is a squad mostly made up of very young players, I expect an enormous amount of learning from them because they are in that process. I hope they have a lot of energy, a lot of commitment, and that everything needed at this level is acquired and improved.”
Blanco continued, “We lack experience because it is normal [at this level]. As a team we can solve all this lack of experience. Creating a lot of energy, knowing that we lack that experience, but that we have other things that are also very important.
“In the time I’ve been here, I have always had talented squads, very talented players at the academy, with the desire to reach the first team, to continue improving and learning, and in that regard, I am quite happy.”
The full interview will be available to watch exclusively on EspanyolMEDIA on Friday, alongside coverage of Espanyol B’s opener against Olot on Saturday at 6pm CEST.