Villarreal defender circles Barcelona’s weak spots: ‘We can do well if we…’
· Yahoo Sports
Villarreal defender Santiago Mourino has issued a confident warning ahead of his side’s crucial La Liga trip to league leaders Barcelona.
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The centre-back, who currently leads the league in ball recoveries (100) and defensive duels won (124), believes his team can hurt Hansi Flick’s side if they execute their plan correctly.
Barcelona sit ten points clear of Villarreal at the top of the table, but the visiting team is not travelling to the Camp Nou just to make up the numbers.
Speaking in a pre-match press conference, Mourino made it clear that the objective is ambitious.
“We want to beat Barcelona and close the gap on them. It’s a difficult game. They’ve won all their home games.
“Let’s see if we can end their winning streak. We have to play as equals. We’re good on the counterattack and we had chances in the first leg.
“They’re a brave team that leaves spaces and we have to take advantage of those chances. We have great strikers and we need to be clinical to win,” he explained.
Highlighting Barcelona’s weakness
Mourino highlighted a key tactical point. Barcelona’s aggressive and high defensive line under Flick has brought dominance, but it can also leave space in transition. Villarreal intend to target those areas.
He doubled down on that strategy, stressing the importance of precision in front of the goal.
Santiago Mourino has highlighted Barcelona’s weakness. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
“We are one of the best teams in La Liga in open play and on the counterattack. If we are accurate, we can do well.
“We know that Barcelona have great players and it will be difficult, but if we play the game we have to play and are accurate, we can compete in the match,” he insisted.
The defender’s belief is built on the fact that Villarreal have shown they can create danger quickly when regaining possession.
Beyond this weekend’s clash, Mourino also outlined the club’s objective, which is to return to the Champions League.
“We have to move away from fifth place, but we have to look up. Get closer to Barcelona and keep fighting. Take it game by game.
“We are strong at home and we must continue to be so in order to reach the Champions League.
“We must also pick up points away from home. We must try to win as many games as possible because our competitors are very good,” he concluded.
Source: Mundo Deportivo