•    Santos Laguna will continue this Thursday with their preparation at Territorio Santos Modelo, working in a morning session.

The First Team of Santos Laguna continues their preparation to visit Toluca FC this Sunday, in a match corresponding to round 9 of the Apertura 2026 Tournament.

Ahead of this commitment, midfielder Fran Villalba highlighted the work done by the Warriors to achieve victory in the previous match and emphasized the importance of maintaining focus for the upcoming games:

“The truth is, against FC Juárez we earned a necessary and well-deserved victory; the team worked for it. We must learn from both victories and defeats because we need to keep moving forward, not thinking that everything is fine just because we won one match. Now we go to Toluca with the idea of trying to earn points and doing our best.”

Regarding the next opponent, Villalba acknowledged the challenge of facing the scarlet team and highlighted the albiverde team's intention to compete solidly:

“Toluca FC will be a very exciting challenge for us, facing the tournament leader head-on. I think we will see a solid Santos Laguna, defensively well-prepared, and looking to capitalize on the opportunities that arise.”

The Spanish footballer also spoke about the impact of the victory against FC Juárez on the team's morale:

“The victory at home was a relief for all the players because we released some of the pressure we had from not winning. Mentally and emotionally, it was very beneficial for us to face the rest of the tournament with a different mindset.”

In this regard, Villalba highlighted the unity within the locker room and the importance of maintaining it:

“We have a very healthy and united group, which has stayed together even in defeats. Now, in victories, it has to be the same, only with more confidence to face the second half of the tournament.”

Fran Villalba also referred to the addition of Facundo Caseres, with whom he shared the field in the match against FC Juárez, and praised the qualities of the Argentine midfielder:

“Facundo Caseres is an exceptional footballer; we understood each other very well in the last match, something that was evident and will surely become more apparent. He is a player the team needed; he has that leadership to demand the ball, and defensively, he is a solid number five. He will help us a lot.”

Finally, the albiverde midfielder acknowledged the support that the Guerrera Fans have provided to the team throughout the tournament and emphasized the importance of reciprocating that support on the field:

“Our fans have been with us throughout the tournament. It was evident in the Leagues Cup that we were always accompanied. We have a spectacular fanbase that is always there, understanding that it’s difficult because of the results. Last weekend, the fans saw a team with soul, a team with grit; we will continue like this to bring them more joy.”