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González: "CA Osasuna are always tough"

The coach previews the LaLiga game

This Saturday, Espanyol begin a run of three LaLiga fixtures in just six days. CA Osasuna are first up, at El Sadar, and coach Manolo González stated in his press conference that this weekend's opponents are "always tough."

The coach insisted that the game played between the two sides just a few months ago cannot be used as a reference.

"Not much time has passed, but they’ve changed coaches and are very different. The styles they had then and now don't seem the same, but it will be a very difficult game. We need to work hard and execute things well. They are very competitive at home. Our morale is high, and we are convinced we can take all three points tomorrow," he explained.

"We’ve identified areas where we aren't performing quite as well as before. Of the four games played so far, in two of them, we really took the initiative with the ball, and our intention is to dictate the flow of the game. The team are in good shape. No opposing side are fully up to speed yet at this stage of the season, but we want to keep possession and continue to grow."

González insisted that the team have defended well so far this season, noting that "the day I left the game the most dissatisfied was away to Real Sociedad, because we conceded two goals during defensive transitions. My aim is for us to keep attacking intelligently and avoid rushing things."