Djukic: Valladolid better this year

Real Valladolid boss Miroslav Djukic says his team is better than last year despite facing teams of a higher quality this term.

El Pucela were promoted to the top flight last season and have made an impressive start to the 2012-13 campaign, having won four of their opening 10 games, and currently sit eighth in La Liga.

Serbian Djukic stressed at a Press conference that his team’s philosophy is ‘exactly the same’ as last season, but admitted that in La Primera his players do not see as much of the ball as they would like.

“We always want to have the ball but sometimes we can’t get it because we are in the top division and face opponents of a higher quality. We can’t play like Barcelona because we don’t have a Xavi [Hernandez] or an [Andres] Iniesta,” he confessed.

“However, I think we are doing very well, even better than last year, and our defensive work has been outstanding, which has allowed us to achieve this.”

In addition, Djukic also praised the signing of Swedish striker Daniel Larsson, who he believes will be a good addition to his squad.

“This is a powerful player with great quality and he will bring many important things to this team,” he said.

This weekend Valladolid entertain Djukic’s former club Valencia, where he spent six seasons as a player between 1997 and 2003, and the 46-year-old is aware it will be a stern test for his men.

“It’s obvious it’s going to be a difficult game for both teams. They have a great squad and some good individuals,” he explained.

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