Sluggish Villarreal not playing enough says Pires

Villarreal, who were eliminated from the Spanish Cup, are not playing enough matches causing their sluggish start to the second-half of the season, the club’s French midfielder Robert Pires said Thursday.

“My experience tells me that what we are lacking is competition, playing every three days, and the rhythm which that gives you,” the 35-year-old former Arsenal player told a news conference.

“When the team was playing two matches each week things were going well but after we started playing one match a week, that killed the rhythm of the team and things are not the same,” he added.

Villarreal finished in second place in the Spanish league last season, behind Real Madrid.

The club was in second place at the end of November, just before the Christmas break, just four points behind leaders Barcelona.

But after Villarreal suffered a 3-0 loss on Saturday to Deportivo La Coruna, the club dropped to fifth-place in the 20-team standings and is now 22 points behind Barcelona.