Marcelino urged the team to deliver their best performance to cope with Athletic Bilbao's pace and intensity.

Villarreal manager Marcelino García Toral, in a media interview, previewed the team's upcoming match against Athletic Bilbao. This La Liga Round 31 clash will take place this Sunday at 21:00 (Central European Summer Time) at the No. 1 San Mamés Stadium.

The Villarreal vs. Athletic Bilbao match will be held during EA Sports' signature Retro Day, an event that pays homage to the history and tradition of La Liga. Marcelino García Toral stated, "Football has changed dramatically; everything is completely different, from pitch conditions and the style of play to training methods and the pace of the game. Both eras have their own characteristics, but there's no doubt that football today is entirely different."

"Matches at the San Mamés stadium are always special; the atmosphere there is exhilarating. Adding a retro theme makes it even better. Although it's the new San Mamés stadium, not the old one, that gives the match a unique charm."

“I anticipate this will be a very challenging match, as Athletic Bilbao has always been strong at home, and they are about to have their full squad back, which is rare for them. To win, we must give it our all and keep up with their pace and intensity. This won't be easy, and we also need to improve our ball control in the attacking third, something we didn't do well against Girona. Finally, we need to improve our finishing, which will be difficult, but it will bring us closer to victory.”

Finally, Marcelino García Toral also acknowledged that the team must improve their away form in the final stages of the season. He stated, "We know we didn't perform well in the Montilivi match and failed to secure a victory, and we hope to turn that around. Overall, our away record has been good, but our recent consistency away from home has declined, and we need to regain our rhythm as soon as possible. With four home games and four away games remaining, we hope to demonstrate a higher level of performance in the upcoming matches compared to the game against Girona."

Image source: Internet/Villarreal official website