Iñigo Pérez wants Liverpool out of mind before Elche match

“I’m not thinking about Liverpool, and I hope the players aren’t either,” Iñigo Pérez said ahead of the match against Elche. The coach wants his squad to put the Champions League aside and focus on La Liga, with Villarreal’s meeting against Elche coming between two especially attractive fixtures, against Napoli and Liverpool.

The immediate aim is to extend the team’s recovery in the league. Iñigo Pérez is demanding maximum concentration against Elche, a match that could help Villarreal consolidate that revival. He stressed that the squad must not be distracted by the trip to Liverpool: “The only way is to make them understand that if you lose tomorrow, how do you travel to Liverpool?” He wants his side to take the field aiming to win convincingly.

On preparations, the coach said that, in principle, everyone was in good shape and there had been no new problem since the previous match. The players’ muscular workload still needs to be assessed before decisions are made. He also said he did not want to be constrained by a rigid approach given the players available to him.

Asked about Gulacsi, Iñigo Pérez said the player was well and had returned to training the following day. He praised his mental strength and said a decision on what came next would be made the next day. On Renato, he said the player handled a run of matches and sustained efforts well, while stressing that the squad needed to look after its players.

Iñigo Pérez also responded to the praise from his counterpart at Elche. He welcomed the comments, recalling that they had met last year and that the encounter had been productive for both. He pointed to the other coach’s greater experience and said his presence was good for La Liga. As for Elche, he warned that they were physically strong, well coordinated and difficult to play against.

For Iñigo Pérez, the match should also help his team keep developing and find greater balance, both in the standings and in its play, after a difficult start. But the message shaping his preparations is clear: before Liverpool, there is Elche.