Manolo González, Espanyol: «I’m strong» ahead of Málaga

Manolo González, coach of Espanyol, sounded upbeat in his press conference ahead of this Friday’s match against Málaga, pushing for “three points” after a spell without League play and a run of negative results. He also refused to give away the starting XI yet: “That will be seen when match time comes.”

Eager to compete

In his assessment, he stressed the issue isn’t “running” but “running better”: “Situations repeat themselves” and “we’re the fifth team that runs the most.” He said they’ve worked on both defensive and attacking details to restore balance and improve the way they go forward.

Monchi support and Puado’s return

González praised Monchi’s backing: “For someone like Monchi… to trust me is important.” On injuries, he confirmed Javi Puado is back after two weeks and that Javi Hernández is available: “Depending on how he feels, he’ll get minutes.” He also described Málaga as an “offensive” and “bold” team.