Real Oviedo defender, David Carmo, appeared this morning in the press room at El Requexón, where the first team continues preparing for this Friday's match at the Carlos Tartiere against RCD Mallorca.
“In the last match, I felt good, although at the beginning I felt a bit heavy. They explained to me that it’s normal after what I went through. When I saw that I couldn’t help the team 100%, I preferred to talk to the coach and come off, because if I’m not at my best in a one-on-one, I could harm the team. Here, we all have the quality to contribute, and I work every day for that, to help, to do what the coach asks of me, and to always give 100%,” were his first words, making it clear that he is available for this Friday’s clash.
Subsequently, looking to achieve the much-desired victory, Carmo emphasized the importance of the group over individualities: “The important thing is the group: if the team is doing well, individual performances will stand out, and we all win. We shouldn’t look for someone to blame now. It’s easy to focus on individual mistakes, but we must concentrate on following the plan, maintaining our personality, and pressing high, which was something we lacked in the first half against Athletic. We are working to improve that in every training session.”
The Oviedo player insisted on the need to maintain the group’s confidence and commitment: “We have to keep our confidence, without doubting our teammates. If we start to distrust, the team suffers. We must keep the faith, the desire, and clear objectives. The coach tells us — and he’s right — that a victory on Friday could be a new starting point for us. We’re playing at home, with the support of our fans, and that’s always very important.”
Regarding offensive work, Carmo highlighted the team’s intention to be more direct and create more chances: “We must keep creating chances, helping the forwards to score and gain confidence. It’s not about playing long balls just because, but when we manage to break the first line of pressure, the coach asks us to be direct, move forward, cross earlier, and put our forwards in scoring positions. The faster we attack, the less time the opponent has to regroup.”
The defender also valued the role of the more experienced players in the locker room: “We have teammates with a lot of experience, who have played in great teams and competitions, and they help us younger or newer players in the Primera a lot. We have to listen to them and learn from them.”
Finally, David Carmo spoke about the demands of the competition and the playing style of the Primera División: “I knew this league was one of the best in the world, and what I like most is that all the teams have the quality to play. They don’t just limit themselves to defending or waiting for the counterattack. I like that style, the intention to always play football,” he concluded.