Sergio García after Espanyol win: “They have to have the ball”

“They are good footballers and they have to have the ball,” Sergio García said after RCD Espanyol won at La Cerámica. In his first match in charge of the first team as interim coach, he watched his side claim a 1-0 victory and move out of the relegation places, ending a run of six matches without a win.

The win over Villarreal gave added weight to the coach’s message. “I was clear about how we had to play against Villarreal. If we had believed in ourselves, we could even have hurt them more,” he said. García praised his players for responding despite their recent poor run. “It has been a very nice day,” he added.

García said he spoke to the squad when he arrived on Wednesday, then worked on a couple of details with them the following day. His approach was to trust the ability in the team and keep possession. In his view, the players could have had the ball even more if they had believed more strongly in themselves. He also praised their response and congratulated them for taking that step forward.

The interim coach also highlighted the importance of the team’s mindset. “When things are not going well, you have to believe. Trust one another, stick together and believe in your teammate,” he said, pleased to have seen the group play as a unit. He wanted his players to recognise that they are excellent footballers and stressed the value of the three points.

That confidence also brought first-team debuts for Alejandro Santiago, who started, and Jan Peries. García said the young players had not looked out of place and praised their performances, along with those of other members of the squad whom he watches day to day.

The match account also pointed to Espanyol’s growing influence as the game progressed. Roberto had a goal ruled out after an earlier foul on Pau Navarro. While Pépé and Buchanan saw their attempts come to nothing, Drkusic stood out defensively. The change of coach was followed by a victory, as Marca noted. For García, the result and the performance gave substance to his call for the team to believe in itself and play with the ball.