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García: "The team are switched on and know what they have to do"
The coach's pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Racing Ferrol
Luis García has put last Monday's defeat in Tenerife behind him and is focused about the imminent Monday night match against Racing Ferrol. The RCD Espanyol coach acknowledged that “it is difficult to explain” the result in the Canary Islands last time out, but insisted that “we have emerged very much strengthened from that defeat. We have managed it internally. We are aware that there are things to improve and things have been done to win next time out. That's the way forward. We are very clear about what we want to be. Football was unfair to us that day. We continue to look at ourselves with self-criticism to continue improving.”
The coach added that he is pleased to have “a committed squad” ahead of the four games that will be played in 13 days.
“It is important that everyone be alert. The team are switched on and know what they have to do for this very demanding stretch of the season."
Regarding this Monday's opponents, he pointed out that they are a “balanced team and are doing things phenomenally. Their coach, Cristóbal Parralo, has worked very well and it is difficult to hurt them, but we are playing at home and it is a very important game for us.”
"Cristóbal was the man who, as Espanyol's sporting director, brought me to my boyhood club and allowed me to experience what I have. I'm very grateful to him for all that. I have met him a couple of times in recent months and it will be very special for me to greet him at our home stadium."
Finally, he also talked about Fernando Pacheco, who made a costly mistake against Tenerife.
“He is committed, because conviction is our way of playing. We have no doubts about him. A goalkeeper's mistake is noticed more, but I'm going to ask him to do the same thing a thousand times. I will never blame a footballer for his way of progressing, because he has given us much more than that mistake took away from us."