Castro calls Sevilla ‘very aggressive’ and efficient

“Sevilla are very aggressive, take no risks and are efficient,” Castro said ahead of Monday’s match. At his press conference, the Levante coach expanded on that assessment: he said Sevilla had not lost away from home and were comfortable playing on the road. He also described them as one of the strongest teams in duels, pointing to their aggression and their ability to limit risks while making their actions count.

Castro also highlighted Sevilla’s good position and the quality of a squad he said had been reshaped well. He expects a difficult test and believes his team will have to match that level.

The coach regretted how long the competition break had been, but said his group had used it to improve and help some players recover from discomfort. Hugo Sotelo and Etta Eyong will not be ready to face Sevilla. Castro declined to comment on the run of fixtures: his team will play on Monday after the break, then again on Friday in A Coruña against Deportivo. “We haven’t been lucky. It’s not ideal for the players, and we’ll try to do our best in these games so close together,” he said.

Asked about a young player joining training, Castro said he was surprised by the attention given to the case, since more than twenty youth-team players had trained with the group. He explained that he needed a centre-back and two had come in, while making clear he had not seen this player before. The 14-year-old has potential but still has a lot of work to do, he added. Castro also criticised the leak and the attention surrounding the youngster, saying the player needed time. If a centre-back is required, he concluded, the first call-up will come from the reserve team.