Castro shrugs off derby fallout: 'Can't see club being sanctioned'
Levante boss Luís Castro focuses on Villarreal clash after Valencia defeat, dismisses relegation fears and addresses controversial derby incidents.
Levante manager Luís Castro has drawn a line under the controversial Valencia derby defeat and turned his attention to the upcoming clash with Villarreal, while dismissing suggestions of potential club sanctions following the heated encounter.
Moving past the derby
The Portuguese gaffer was in a pragmatic mood as he addressed the media, making it clear his squad has already put the disappointing derby result behind them.
“The dressing room is thinking about Villarreal. We’ve turned the page and need to look forward,” Castro explained, refusing to dwell on what was clearly a bitter pill to swallow for the Levante faithful.
Castro was quick to defend his team’s performance, suggesting the scoreline didn’t tell the full story: “When you win, not everything is perfect, and when you lose, not everything is terrible.” Classic manager’s handbook, that.
Injury and suspension headaches
The boss faces some proper selection dilemmas ahead of the Villarreal match:
- Pablo Martínez will be sidelined for a while
- Ugo has only just returned to training
- Unai Elgezabal has had a knee niggle
- Kervin Arriaga is suspended after his derby dismissal
Castro seemed to take these challenges in his stride, suggesting it creates opportunities for squad players to step up: “Now is the time for those who haven’t had as many chances.”
Relegation fears? Not having it
When quizzed about potential relegation concerns following the Valencia defeat, Castro was having none of it.
“Who has that feeling? I don’t think that,” he fired back. The gaffer reminded everyone of the progress made since his arrival, pointing to an improved points average despite facing tough opposition like Athletic Club, Atlético Madrid, and Sevilla.
“When I came here, people told me I was a fool because the team had been relegated,” Castro revealed, clearly still using those doubters as motivation.
Derby controversy
Castro was predictably cautious when addressing the controversial incidents involving Cömert that marred the derby, but remained confident about avoiding club sanctions.
“I won’t talk about this issue, but I don’t see a sanction for the club,” he stated firmly. “Everyone has seen what happened. The reason that generated so much confusion is very clear.”
The boss now faces the tall order of preparing his troops for a Villarreal side he describes as “one of the best teams in the championship” in terms of collective concepts. No time for derby hangovers in this relegation scrap.