Xisco Muñoz "The most important thing is clean sheet"
Johor Darul Ta'zim head coach Xisco Muñoz said his side must start sharply and keep their balance when they host Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng in Shopee Cup 2026/27 Group B tomorrow. He spoke at the pre-match press conference as the club returns to action after the international break.
Muñoz said the long gap without a club match made the opening stages of the game particularly important. "After a long time without playing for the international break, it's important we come inside and we try to put the focus in the first minutes and our behaviours," he said. "Tomorrow we have in front a good team with good capacities, and we need to understand tomorrow is important for us."
The Spaniard said his squad would give everything on their return to competition. "We give our 100%, and the most important thing is that we come back to the competition with our maximum behaviours, and the most important things about what we need to do in different facets for tomorrow's game. The team is ready, and we will see tomorrow how we are doing."
Asked about the six-day break recently given to the players and how momentum would hold once training resumed, Muñoz said days off are hard to find. "For us it's difficult to find a day off sometimes because we have a very difficult schedule. We are playing a lot of games," he said. "Immediately we connect again with what we need to do. You need to understand sometimes what is the sure demand and the game demand."
He said the match would test the team mentally and emotionally as well as physically. "Tomorrow the opponent is a good opponent, and sure we need to give our best in football, also in mentality, also in the emotional things, because it's important to have control. We are talking about the balance that we need between the offensive part and the defensive part. Because tomorrow we are playing international games, it's important to have this type of balance. I think it's one step forward."
Several players have just come back from national team duty. Muñoz was asked whether they would be given time off and whether any had picked up knocks. He said there is no simple answer. "It's difficult for us to manage because they are playing a lot of games in a short time. They travel, they have a lot of situations, and we need to manage the best situation for what we are trying to do for the next games," he said.
Individual conversations will shape his selection. "We need to understand the players, if they are tired, if they have a little bit of problems, if the problem can get bigger or not. We need to sit tonight and choose the best ones for tomorrow."
On the injury question, he pointed to the demands of international football. "It's difficult, because those who follow the national team play with high intensities and play big games. The most important thing right now is that they are coming back, and we need to check how they are feeling. We need to have a little bit of individual conversation about how we can manage. After that we need to check also the controls of the intensities and the minutes and everything, and we will try to give the best for them in this time."
Asked which opposition player he was most wary of, Muñoz declined to single anyone out. He highlighted the visitors' midfield and their speed. "They have control, I like it, the midfielder. They have good capacities in the midfield. Also they have very speedy players," he said. "I cannot say only one player, because it's a team that tries to play football. They have control of the ball sometimes. They try to build in some situations. Tomorrow will demand a lot of important things for our team."
The two clubs drew 2-2 when they met last season, and Muñoz was asked how JDT could avoid a repeat. He said the context is different this time. "The last game and this game, I think we are playing at home. The most important thing we need to do is learn about the last mistake we made. But the most important thing is that tomorrow is a clean sheet. It's important for us to have the balance."
He also expects the match to demand control in key moments. "I'm sure we have to control some situations. On Monday night we had the return and the comeback, and some situations are important to try to improve for this season. Tomorrow is important for us. It's important to have control, and to have the capacity to show our best."
Credit Photo : JST
