Bhubaneswar, Feb 10 (IANS): Both the men’s and women’s teams of Spain have arrived together at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar on Monday as they gear up for the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25 matches in India.

The men’s side faces host India on February 15 and 16, followed by England on February 19, while the women’s team will take on Germany on February 15 and 16 before facing India on February 19.

In terms of standings, both Spanish teams are struggling in their respective tables and will be eyeing to get wins under their belt early on in their Pro League campaign. The men’s team is currently placed sixth with just one win and a draw in four games. On the other hand, the women’s team is eighth with four games played and is yet to win a match.

Upon arrival, the men’s team captain, Alvaro Iglesias shared his thoughts about playing in India and stated, “We are very excited to return to India. We were in Australia for four games, but we need to improve, so I am hoping to win more games here.”

“We always love playing here in India because hockey is very popular and the stadium is filled with fans,” he added.

The women’s team captain Lucia Jiminez spoke along similar lines when she said, “This (Bhubaneswar) is a really important city for hockey and we are extremely excited to play in front of this crowd. This tournament is really important for us and we want to be in the FIH Pro League next year so we know it is crucial for us to win. We will try to play our best hockey to win every match.”