Manolo on the Roberto vs Marcos Fernández duel, Hinojo vs Hartman, Vanja Drkuši? ...

RCD Espanyol

What is the goal for this season?

The first goal is to secure survival as soon as possible. I always say the same thing: if on matchday 30 you already have safety guaranteed, it means you are in a position to fight for something much more important. That is the first target set by 70% of the teams in LaLiga EA Sports. From there, we want to be ambitious and go as far as possible. We will try to improve on the standings from the previous two seasons and surpass that record if we have the chance. The idea is to grow, but always step by step: first to reach the initial goal and then go for the next one.

How is the squad currently?

As with all teams, we still need to fully recover the rhythm of competition and the habits you build during the season. When you stop working on certain aspects for a while, it becomes difficult for the player to pick them back up, and even more so after a break. Broadly speaking, I am happy. The players who returned from their loans have come back in good condition, and the new signings are increasingly adapting. Every day they are taking small steps forward. That is exactly what we are looking for: for the team to grow progressively. If the results also go along with it, it will be much easier, but the important thing is to improve day after day.

What assessment do you make of Roger Hinojo and Quilindschy Hartman at left-back?

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Roger Hinojo
610.000€    -

J1

DF

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I am satisfied with both. They are different players, and that means each of them can offer you different situations during matches. Roger Hinojo has come back really well. Last year he already had a good season, and I think the loan did him a lot of good. He has returned as a more complete player than when he left. As for Quilindschy Hartman, he may still be going through that logical adaptation period, especially in terms of the pace of competition. Technically, he is one of the highest-level players in the squad, and we believe that as he adapts better to football and to the intensity of Spain, he will be able to contribute even more.

Do you see similarities between Espanyol and Levante in terms of squad continuity?

If we look at Levante, we see that they keep the same coach and that a large part of the starting XI will be made up of players who were already there last season. In that sense, I think we are in a fairly similar situation. All squads have additions and departures, but that continuity is positive because the players already know the game mechanisms. In any case, they also have that advantage. If we look at their pre-season, we can see that they have kept quite a lot of the work line they had the previous season.

What are your feelings ahead of the league opener?

The feelings are good. Pre-season is for what it is for. Last year we had a preparation that was practically perfect in terms of results, but the work was very similar to this year: distributing minutes, rotating players, and making sure everyone is ready for the first official match. Obviously, we want to win the pre-season games, but the priority is for the players to accumulate minutes and be prepared.

The real picture is set by the competition, not the results of friendlies. I think we are arriving well; the players have been able to rack up minutes, and we have a squad in which practically anyone can be useful. Also, I am very satisfied with the attitude everyone has shown so far.

Can Vanja Drkuši? be included in the squad?

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Drkusic
500.000€    -

J1

DF

00

In principle, at a bureaucratic level and regarding the international transfer, everything is sorted. Now LaLiga has to definitively validate his registration. If he is in a position to be called up, he will be on the list tomorrow. For their part, the club has done everything necessary so that he can be available, and we hope that he will finally be able to make the squad.

What profile does Vanja Drkuši? bring, and what will his position be?

The idea is to bring him in as a centre-back. It is true that he has played both in a back three and in a back four, and he has also acted as a full-back at times. That versatility is important because during a season situations can arise that force you to use him in another position.

In any case, his arrival is mainly due to his level as a centre-back. He has different characteristics from the other defenders in the squad, and we think he can help us a lot. When resources are limited, as is the case for us, the work of the sporting directorate is even more complicated. That is why we are happy with his signing, because he brings something different from what we already had.

How is the team doing mentally, and what do you expect to change from pre-season?

The team will compete to the maximum tomorrow; I have that clear. Mentally, we are in a good place. You have to understand what pre-season is. In Coventry, for example, we played around 70 very good minutes up until the action that led to 1-1. After that, there were other matches in which, even though we obviously wanted to win, the priority remained that the players accumulated minutes.

If you review the preparation, you can see that a player who played 30 minutes one day could play 70 the next. That was precisely the planning. If pre-season were only about winning every match, we would start the league with more than half the squad without being physically prepared to compete. What we wanted was for any player who has to take part tomorrow to be in a position to do so.

How do you handle the situation in attack with Roberto Fernández and Marcos Fernández?

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Roberto Fernández
8.480.000€+700.000€    -

J1

DL

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I think we always have to act with common sense. Obviously, we would all like to bring in players and have more options, but signings must respond to a need. If a footballer arrives, as has happened with Vanja Drkuši?, it is because we believe he will genuinely add something. There is no point signing just for the sake of signing.

Right now we have Roberto Fernández, Marcos Fernández and Javier Puado, and we expect that after the break he will already be in a position to join the team. We also have Pere Milla, who, if the situation calls for it, can play as a second striker or even support another forward.

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Marcos Fernández
1.050.000€+50.000€    -

J1

DL

00

Also, there is Marcos Fernández, who has been talked about a lot. He has had a good pre-season and comes after completing a good year at Ceuta. If we want to give him opportunities and make him a key figure, it would also make no sense to bring in players who would block his path without any need.

With Roberto Fernández we have absolute confidence, as from day one. He has contributed an awful lot since he arrived. You have to be clear that scoring more than twenty goals in a season is not easy for any striker. Roberto brings many things beyond goals: he works the press, creates runs, and constantly forces the centre-backs to stay alert. We are convinced he can have a great season, and we hope that this year he will deliver his best version.