Castro lands in Valencia: 'Difficult but we'll do it together'
New Levante boss Luis Castro arrives in Valencia with fighting talk as he prepares to battle relegation with the struggling La Liga side
Luis Castro has touched down in Valencia ready to take on the mammoth task of steering Levante away from the La Liga drop zone.
First impressions
The Portuguese gaffer arrived at Manises Airport this afternoon, immediately showing he’s got the bottle for a proper relegation scrap. Despite Levante’s precarious position in Spain’s top flight, Castro was full of beans about the challenge ahead.
“The club is very big and together we can do it,” he told reporters at the terminal, displaying the kind of optimism that Levante fans have been gasping for during their struggles this season.
Transfer talk
Interestingly, Castro was quick to play down any suggestions that transfer promises were part of his agreement to take the job:
- Insisted he joined because Levante is “a historic club with a strong identity”
- Believes the current squad has quality despite results
- Acknowledged some reinforcements would be welcome
- Emphasized the team has been competitive without getting the results they deserve
His assessment of the current squad will be music to the ears of the Levante board, who might’ve been bricking it about potential demands for a January splurge. Castro seems to reckon that with “a little bit more” they can turn things around.
Getting down to business
The new boss revealed he’s already been chatting with club officials but hasn’t yet spoken directly with his players. “I prefer to speak with them personally,” Castro explained, showing he’s keen on the face-to-face approach rather than sending a group text like some dodgy geezer organizing five-a-side.
Castro won’t have much time to settle in before the real action begins. He’ll take his first training session on Monday at Buñol training ground, with his debut in the Levante dugout coming next weekend against Sevilla at the Sánchez Pizjuán in their final match of the first half of the La Liga season.
With Levante desperate for points, Castro’s arrival brings fresh hope that they might just pull off what currently looks like a right Barney Rubble of a situation.