Íñigo Pérez frustrated after Villarreal lose to Real Madrid

“When you don’t get the result despite deserving a little more, it’s frustrating,” Íñigo Pérez said after Villarreal were beaten 1-0 by Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday. The coach felt his players had performed well, but rued their lack of precision in the final third when it came to finishing their work.

Speaking at a press conference, he focused on the disappointment of coming away with no points after competing strongly. “It’s frustrating. The players have embraced the idea that they can come to grounds like this without giving in to the fear that can set in. Now they can see it’s possible and that you can come close to winning.” In his view, the closing stages also became more tense as time ran out and his side continued to look for a breakthrough.

Pérez also explained his decision to use Foyth in defensive midfield: he wanted to shore up the middle of the pitch, knowing it would be difficult to control it at this ground. He praised the work of the three midfielders, while acknowledging that Villarreal could have made better use of possession and caused more damage with the ball. Getting out of the opposition’s press, he added, had been difficult.

Real Madrid’s threat on the counter was another part of his assessment. “Every time you lose the ball, they make you pay,” he said, noting that it is difficult to focus on just one aspect of the game against this side.

The coach also pointed to the statistics as evidence of the quality of the performance, while cautioning that he needed time to reflect after the match. “If the standings were based on statistics, we would be among the top two or three,” he said, adding that he would need a few hours before looking at those figures calmly.

Finally, he framed the match as part of a new project and its early stages, saying the issue went beyond his own approach. Despite the defeat, he said he had seen a team whose performance gave him confidence about returning to play at a ground like this.