The Real Oviedo coach Álvaro Cervera analyzed how his team arrives at the game that they face tomorrow (6:30 pm) against Eibar in Ipurúa. The blue coach was reeling off some of the most relevant details of one of the most complicated visits in the League.
What casualties are there for the party?
“The casualties are the usual, Montoro, Javi Mier and Sangalli, and Pomares has joined at the last minute, who is not injured, but you are in trouble and it is best to reserve him.”
What did you like the most about your team against Las Palmas?
“The ball was stolen higher up against Las Palmas, it was the day we stole the most balls in the opposite field and that way we are closer to the opposite goal, we have to give fewer passes to get there and everything is more direct, that was the best. It is also conducive to the fact that the rival sends the ball out from their field and from below”.
Are you being forced to play with two strikers?
“I have never played with two strikers like here, yes I have used them, but one and one, I mean, 4-4-2 is not the same as 4-4-1-1, I usually use 1-1, especially when the opposing team has a pivot that plays a lot, so that our midfielders don’t get out of their place too much. Here, since I came here, I knew that I had three very similar strikers that it’s difficult for one of them to play in that position and so I got the team used to playing with two wingers”.
Could Hugo Rama or Borja Sánchez play behind the striker?
Hugo Rama can play because of the work he does, he does a fundamental job and if you ask him for defensive work he will do it for you, the offensive one will cost him a little more; and Borja, on the contrary, will surely make you offensive but the defensive will not. There is no specific player, because if he had, he would have used him more ”.
What do you think of the EIbar?
“Eibar, Alavés, those types of teams, are the ones I like and the ones I think are going to be at the top, to be promoted or to fight for promotion; It may be a bit old, but they have very clear ideas, they fail very little at home, they give the rival very few options when they play at home, due to the way they play, and they give importance to what is important, to the two areas, other teams play very well, they are very high up, they give importance to the ball, to possession; I really like those teams like Eibar, they are the ones that I believe that if you are really capable of superiority, of beating them, we will be a team capable of fighting. I like to use these teams as a reference when you play with them.
Will you do rotations?
“I haven’t thought about the issue of rotations, someone very close to me told me the next one to win is a long time ago, and the next one we’ll see, you have to rotate when a player is tired, otherwise you have to put who do you have to put?
Are you worried about running out of Borja Bastón for the derby in case you see the fifth yellow card?
“An anecdote. We were in Tenerife and Luismi had four cards, we were at the hotel and we passed each other as one entered and the other left the bathroom, and I told him ‘be careful with the four cards’, he said ‘yes’ and they took the fifth; then Mangel came out and played the match of his life, a spectacular match. That I can remind him that he has four cards, does anyone think he doesn’t know, that he doesn’t know that the derby comes next? But these are football things, I hope to have it for the derby, and if they take it away from him, let them take it away from him because he has to avoid a goal ”.
How is Mangel after his great match?
“Well, happy, when the kids go up they are happy, the environment will be happy with him, his family, his friends, football is taking steps. I told the club that for me I was in the first team for all intents and purposes”.
Are you ready for Siqueira yet?
“It’s early, he’s with us because we want him to feel like one more, but he does things that don’t involve effort, when they involve effort we take it away from him.”
