"We are very much alive and we need to take advantage of that"

Gerard Moreno (Santa Perpetua de Moguda, Barcelona, 1992) is one of the Liga Adelante's top strikers. On loan at RCD Mallorca this season from Villarreal CF, his extraordinary performances have impressed everyone. The Catalonian forward, the fourth top goal-scorer in the division, spoke to LFP.es about the club's goals and his great performances this season.

LFP.es: How have you found adapting to Mallorca?
Gerard Moreno: Really good. Both my teammates and the coaching staff have made things very easy and the city is perfect too.

LFP.es: After 23 matches, Mallorca lies in seventh with 34 points, although automatic promotion is just three points away. What is your overall opinion of the season so far?
Gerard Moreno: Perhaps in the first half we were not as consistent as we would have liked, but in such a tight Liga Adelante our position is not bad. Now everything will be decided and whoever is the most consistent will be the one to achieve the goal we are all working towards. We are very much alive and we need to take advantage of that.

"I am happy with my performance, but I have to keep seeking to get better"

LFP.es: Mallorca is one of the teams in the fight for promotion to the Liga BBVA. What do you think you are missing that would have already put you in the top positions?
Gerard Moreno: We've still not been there and we are yet to believe that we can be. If we reach those positions and pick up confidence and the team relaxes a little, maybe we will play without so much pressure. We have to keep working hard to be able to do that.

LFP.es: You were in a similar situation last season with Villarreal. At the end of the first half of the season, promotion seemed a long way off, but you ended up winning it. Do you think a repeat is plausible?
Gerard Moreno: It is going to be difficult but there are similarities. Why not? If we play well I think we can reach the promotion spots. Everything is possible if you are sharp at home.

LFP.es: Speaking of home, how do you feel playing in a stadium like the Iberostar?
Gerard Moreno: The fans have treated me well since I arrived, they have taken a liking to me and it is a very attractive ground that is full of history. We have to be strong there so that our opponents think they cannot get any points. I am very proud, both of the team and the fans.

LFP.es: How do you feel watching Villarreal from a distance?
Gerard Moreno: They are doing great. The work was put in last season with Marcelino and his coaching staff. They haven't changed many players and that is evident in the way they are playing.

LFP.es: On a personal level, things are going great for you. You are the fourth top goal-scorer in the Liga Adelante with 11 goals, some of which have been very important. Do you think this could be your breakthrough season?
Gerard Moreno: Before the season started, I knew it would be a difficult year for me, but an important one at the same time. I try to make the most of all the opportunities that come my way and I think I am doing that. I feel comfortable both on the pitch and with my teammates, and that is making everything easier. I am happy with my performance, but I have to keep seeking to get better.

LFP.es: How does a young player cope with so much praise?
Gerard Moreno: You have to remove yourself a little from that. In the end, the player is the one who performs on the pitch and, both I and the team are working well. You have to continue that way and remove yourself from that, focus on what's important and keep working.

LFP.es: What is it like working under the orders of José Luis Oltra?
Gerard Moreno: Both he and the rest of the coaching staff are very approachable and we can talk to them comfortably. There is a real chemistry between him and the whole team. He asks for hard work, effort and dedication from us.

LFP.es: Do you think you could be Villarreal's leading striker in the near future?
Gerard Moreno: Now I just see myself at Mallorca (laughs). I don't want to look forward, I want to live in the now. I can see myself at Mallorca looking to achieve the goal of promotion.

LFP.es: That future of which you are reluctant to speak looks very promising. What are your dreams?
Gerard Moreno: All kids dream of playing in the Liga BBVA and I would love for that day to come, but it will not come if I don't work hard.