The Press Room at El Requexón today saw Alejandro Arribas respond to questions:
We found out the fixture list yesterday. Is it important to start at home?
Starting at home, even without fans, is important for us in order to try to continue with the confidence we have. At the end of the day it's good for the team, especially if we win. It's important.
The bad start last season seemed to hurt the team. How can you correct that situation this year?
Experience is going to make us see it in a different way and work harder. We all want to start well and be in a good position throughout the season.
It seems clear that the season will start without fans in the stands. Would you have preferred the derby at the Tartiere to have fallen during the second half of the season?
We hope that there will soon be fans in the stadiums, because they are the essence of football. I wish it had been the away game first so that our fans could be with us (in the home match).
Could starting the season against a newly-promoted side bring added pressure, due to people not knowing what these types of teams are capable of?
Promoted teams arrive in good form and are difficult. We have to focus on ourselves and on doing things well. The team is going to go for it and give everything.
The team showed itself to be very solid during the final stage of last season. Do you think it's possible to maintain that level all year?
That's what we are looking for. We want to be solid and play to a high standard. After the lockdown we had very good points, we worked for it, and it's got to be that way throughout the season.
You found it tough to get going last summer but finished at a high level. Is your challenge this season to play like that all year?
The truth is that the lockdown was good for me and I got that preseason I hadn't had before. I hope that I can maintain my level and improve, it will be important.
We saw that home advantage had less of an influence at the end of last season. Do you think that will continue to be the case?
It might be. Not having the fans there affects all the teams, especially those playing away from home, because they don't have that pressure. They are extra points.
All the signs are that the Grippo-Arribas partnership will start the season. From the little that you have been able to see in preseason, do you think both of you at centre back are at a similar level as you were at the end of last season?
The truth is that it'll be the Coach who decides. We are working for it. We feel good playing together and have experience, but we have teammates who do well when they play too. Any of us could play. We are all prepared to give everything, and it'll be the Coach who decides.