Juan Carlos Garrido, head coach of Villarreal, will not be able to sit on the bench at Estadio Vicente Calderón as he’s suspended for the match. During his pre-game press conference before taking on Atlético de Madrid, he commented that “it’s an attractive match that will pit two teams against each other that are in the upper part of the table. It’s a special match for us because we’re playing in a great stadium against a big rival and in front of a great group of supporters. The only thing that I can say about Atlético de Madrid is that we’re facing some of the best players in the world and, therefore, I have great respect for them. Our players also really respect our opponent because they know that they’re facing a great club and that there will be one of the best atmospheres in Europe.”

The goal of the yellow squad is to qualify for Champions League, which Garrido knows is far from done. “We still have to win plenty more games. Besides, I think that whatever we accomplish will be decided at the end. Qualifying for Champions League is tough and if we do so, it’s going to be close. We’re working hard to achieve it, but it’s a very big goal and it will be tough to reach. We’re going into the final stretch of the season and in these three months of competition we can accomplish the most ambitious goals that this club has had over the course of its history. We’re going to have to give our maximum effort until the end.”

Juan Carlos Garrido spoke very highly of the Spanish officiating, at the same time stating that he hopes the referee who directs the fixture against Atlético doesn’t play a central role. “Everyone tries to use their strategies to influence the referee so that they call the game in their favour. Despite that, I think that you can trust the officials because they have big enough personalities to do things right. In general, the level of Spanish refereeing is very high and I have full confidence in the refs.”