He doesn't want any surprises in tomorrow's Copa de la Reina debut against Cacereño in the Round of 16.
Fifth in Liga F after three consecutive victories, the Athletic women's team will make their Copa de la Reina debut tomorrow against Primera Federación side Cacereño. The lower-division team will host the Round of 16 match, which David Aznar's players are hoping to win. The rojiblanco coach doesn't want any surprises against an inferior opponent, and he stated in his pre-match press conference that "we're going with great enthusiasm; it's a competition that allows us to dream big, and hopefully, we can have the same journey as last year."
"The first stage is in Cáceres, a complicated match, but we'll try to finish the year in the best way possible and go on vacation with peace of mind," added the Lions' coach. He warned that these types of matches "are trap games because of the enthusiasm Cacereño will have to advance after eliminating Valencia. We're also going to a pitch we're unfamiliar with, and they haven't conceded a goal in their last two home games, so everything indicates it will be a difficult match where we'll need to be focused to bring our best version with the utmost respect for Cacereño."
"I know this team from competing against our reserve squad last year in Primera Federación, and they play on an artificial turf pitch, which is a different context than what we're used to, but nothing special. We'll adapt to that context as it's part of the Copa, a very beautiful competition for many reasons, this being one of them, and we'll try to show the superiority we have from playing in a higher category," explained Aznar. He stressed that "it's a difficult date being the last match before we go on vacation, and I hope we don't start our holidays early, because we need to approach Cacereño with the respect they deserve to try and play the best possible game and show that we are the ones who should advance."
When asked about the significance of the knockout tournament for him, the coach remarked, "It's a competition where I've never reached the final, and I'd love to do it with Athletic. It's an ambition and a new opportunity, but we have to take it step by step. We're in the Round of 16, we're starting the tournament here, and we'll see what happens."
As for the grade he would give the year 2024, which is about to end, Aznar indicated that "I would give it an outstanding, because it has been a year far exceeding the expectations we had when I started this project as coach. The players have grown very quickly; the second half of 2024 was like a Champions League team, among the best, and at the start of this season, we've had difficult moments, but we've also competed very well and we're where we want to be." Aznar concluded, "From here, we'll continue fighting to keep growing," emphasizing his desire to avoid surprises in the Copa.
