New manager Jagoba Arrasate spoke to journalists at his pre-match press conference as the new season gets underway with the hosting of Real Madrid. Find out what the boss had to say below:
On facing Real Madrid: The preseason is now history and the good things are starting. I am very excited to start this new stage and we have a huge challenge against the European champions. Even so, we have the hope of being able to play a good game and why can’t we achieve a good result?
On the system: The last games against them have been with that five-line defensive system and some victories have been achieved. We are not closed to a fixed drawing for the entire season, there will be changes, but above all the idea has to be the same: be brave and play in the opponent’s half. What happens is that there is a rival in front of you who sometimes doesn't let you do what you want. A lot of times you do what you can against these types of teams. But beyond the line of four or five, we will need 11 players to defend and to attack them in order to get a good result.
On adaptation to a new system: It is difficult for us to detect where the team is. What counts is what the green dictates. Tomorrow's game is not going to change our minds, whether we have a favorable result or not. We believe in the idea, we know that it is a process, people are assimilating it and I think we are on the right path. It is also true that it is most likely that our best version will arrive later, but you have to compete and when you have to compete, you have to put on that competition suit that Mallorca already has as standard to try to get a good result.
On the starting XI: I am very clear about the starting XI and I think that in today's football and even more so in August, changes are very important. In the game plan we are looking more at 16 against 16, because I think we need energy and for the team not to fall and break up the game. As for who is in goal, you will see tomorrow but I am clear about it. Whoever starts tomorrow doesn't mean anything, it's not definitive, but tomorrow I have to decide on one of the three we have here.
On the approach: It is about giving priority to the fact that if you press up the space you leave it behind and if you wait for the space you leave it for them to initiate. It will be a matter of prioritising. We like to alternate that high pressure with withdrawal situations as well. In positional attack they have lost a player like Kroos although they also have another player who can play tomorrow who can also do well. They are decisive with spaces and that is how their goals came the other day. They were the best team at that and they have added another player to enhance that. Tomorrow we have to finish the actions, that there are no transitions for them, we have to cut the actions, in the surveillance we have to be super concentrated. Anything other than doing that is making it easier for them.
On Real Madrid: They defend forward and have winning centre-backs. You can gain their back, gain that space and from there to the goal they have the ability to recover because they are also physical wonders. It is true that they especially do not have a reference forward but right now they are more dynamic, they take you out of place and we do not have to despair. What they want is to get us out of place to let's say enable some spaces and occupy them and if we jump to all those stimuli in the end they are going to beat us in the race. We have to be patient and maintain balance and defensive order
On width and Cyle Larin: Our general idea is going to be to play with two wingers and I am happy with what Larin is doing. I think he is adapting well at a positional level and then everything else is based on his confidence. One of the important things about Larin is that he sees that they believe in him from the beginning and that it can be a good season for him.
On management of emotions: We have managed it with absolute normality. I am aware because I have seen the games and I have seen those situations. Professional players quickly forget those things and if we have to try to stop one of their players we have to do it from a collective and tactical aspect and not from other facets. There is tension and things can happen but we are not thinking about this.
On Gio's departure: I think he gave a very good performance and in the end I wish him the best. The little time I was able to spend with him he was a professional. I think I'm already focused on tomorrow's game, LaLiga starts now and that's it. I have to be focused on what our best version is so that it comes out tomorrow.
On his first game as manager: There are always butterflies in your stomach every time you start. The day that is missing, we might have plenty left over here. In pre-season we coaches enjoy ourselves, you distribute the minutes and there are no bad faces. When you have to make decisions and the serious stuff really begins, that's when we get a little nervous but I think that's normal.
On Marc Domènech: If Marc is in the squad it is not a gift. It is because he has done things very well in the pre-season and has certain characteristics that can help us for tomorrow's game. That is how I have made him see it. If you are in the squad it is because you can help. We are very into looking at home and it is the first thing we are going to do. It's good news that the people in the academy are showing their faces a little in the team.
On the new rules: It is true that some things change. The captain is going to talk to the referee and that's how it has to be for us and for everyone else. We all thought the semi-automatic offside thing would work but yesterday it took them almost three minutes to decide and I didn't see the image until the start of the second half.
On Muriqi: I see him well and I loved that Muriqi who scored 15 goals two years ago. It is true that last year he had a major injury but I see him doing well and looking forward to it. He is a leader within the dressing room and he is a player who does score goals better, but he also gives you many other things. I see Muri well and hopefully tomorrow he can contribute with goals.
