Oscar Pareja and Ariel Nahuelpan on facing Pumas UNAM
So many top soccer coaches now say that a player’s attitude is one of, if not the most important asset and trait.
Soccer News: Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles is preparing for its next match in the Mexican capital.
That’s where it will next face Pumas UNAM in a LIGA MX 2019 Clausura Week 14 match Sunday, April 14 at Estadio Olimpico Universitario.
Coach Oscar Pareja’s team traveled to Mexico City Thursday to settle camp ahead of its match against Pumas. Pareja’s team went through a training session Friday at the Coapa facilities.
Oscar Pareja and Ariel Nahuelpan speak about facing Pumas UNAM
Pareja spoke to members of the media after the practice and so did striker Ariel Nahuelpan. The Colombian coach spoke about the most important factor being the team’s attitude.
“The climate conditions are for both teams. Once the game starts, we are under the same circumstances,” said Pareja about facing Pumas in the Mexico City thin air and the noon-time heat.
“The player’s attitude, our attitude, the group’s attitude are the most important factors,”
said Pareja.
“We expect to be able to write a positive piece of our history in each game, take it game-by-game. Our goal is to be consistent. That’s ideal. We have opponents with the same goals and that makes it difficult for us but that’s our workflow to follow.”
Nahuelpan, the Argentine striker, highlighted the team’s great understanding of what Pareja is preaching and teaching.
“Sacrifice is very important,” Nahuelpan said, also during a news conference. “We are a team that doesn’t play to lose. We have good players and we are in on Oscar’s system. I adapted rather quickly with players like Gustavo Bou, Miller Bolaños and Fabian (Castillo). We are all going through a good moment. We feel good with being close to a playoff berth.”
Nahuelpan also said it will be important to be offensive and manage the game’s tempo. He wants to continue with that throughout the season.
“We’re taking it game-by-game, regardless of who is in front,” Nahuelpan said. “We are going in looking to win. We beat America the other day. It was a great win and we need to take it seriously. It doesn’t matter who we are facing, we must always try and win.”
The Xoloitzcuintles will finish its camp and preparations ahead of facing Pumas with a training session behind closed doors Saturday at the Coapa facilities.
