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WEIFANG, China, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese football players must understand that utilizing the space on the pitch is more important than improving techniques with the ball, Daniel Poyatos Algaba, who directed Real Madrid Youth Academy B team (U-17) to China, said here Saturday.
Algaba told a press conference before the 10th Luneng Weifang Cup International Youth Football Tournament that youth training in China should focus more on the fundamentals.
It is the first time for the La Liga giant to send a team to the tournament and they will play against the Chinese U-19 National Team in Sunday's opener.
"I think the Chinese players are improving a lot, but they must understand that football in Europe is much more intensive," Algaba said. "It is more important for a player to choose the right space and decide which is the right moment to do a movement."
According to Algaba, European football is usually played "in shorter space," so the players need to be clever and able to play well in a limited area.
"I think this is the most important (advice) from me for the Chinese players," Algaba added.
Algaba said that as the debutants of the tournament, his team is happy to play with other participating teams, and that their goal is to go as far as they can and hopefully win the championship.
Besides Real Madrid and China U-19, this year's Weifang Cup also witnessed Portugal's Benfica, Germany's Wolfsburg, Japan's Kashima Antlers, Brazil's Desportivo Brasil, Fort Lauderdale Strikers from the United States and the youth team of Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng.
Thomas Reis, coach of defending champions Wolfsburg, said it will be very difficult to defend the championship but that is their goal this year. He said the different weather condition poses a severe challenge to the players' performance.
According to the organizers, an international youth training seminar will be held in parallel with the tournament, and the best player of the tournament will have the opportunity to go to the youth training camp of the Dutch club SC Heerenveen to experience a 10-day training, which will be funded by the club.
