Paco López: “It would be an honor to give the fans a victory on Monday”

C.D. Leganés coach Paco López appeared at a press conference on Saturday ahead of the team's match against C.D. Castellón on Monday (8:30 p.m.) at the Ontime Butarque Stadium, corresponding to the seventh matchday of LALIGA HYPERMOTION.

The coach gave his assessment of the situation ahead of the match:

Rubén Peña: “We'll see. He's been training partially during the week, we have tomorrow's training session left and we'll see. It's not certain that he'll be out for the game.”

Franquesa: “He's had a normal week of training after his last injury. If he's available, he always has a chance to come on and help us.”

Cissé's absence: “Guirao, Melero, or Andrés Campos will play; one or two of the three will take his place. Any of them are ready to play and help us.”

Second halves: "I always say the same thing, we have to analyze it, but it's true that the other day and at the start of the Granada game, we have to take a step forward. We have to come out like we do in the first halves, super aggressive and focused. You never know exactly why it is, but you have to try to come out with much more attention and energy, because we see what happens, the opponent makes a change and you have to adjust on the spot. We'll keep pushing and improving."

Balance: "We focus on our daily work and improvement; that's the key. We're lucky to be at a very stable club in every sense. We receive a lot of love from many people at the club, we're all united and focused on continuing to improve. The idea is to get three points at a time, and we're convinced that it will happen, as it did in Granada. We suffered a setback against Las Palmas, but the other day the first half was very good. We have to keep it up for longer and take advantage of those good feelings."

Efficiency: "With the help of our fans, it's another plus we have in our game. When we have the opponent on the ropes, we have to be more aggressive and more efficient. We have to be more accurate; nowadays, getting ahead on the scoreboard is an advantage. By being more efficient in the opponent's area, I'm convinced that this team will normally keep picking up three points at a time. We're one of the teams that creates the most chances, what we're lacking is that accuracy."

Fans: “Fundamental. Our fans give us that extra energy that the team needs. We know they're there for us and we have to try to repay them, because they deserve a win at our stadium.”

Stability: “It gives us a greater sense of responsibility knowing that we are in a very stable club, which inspires a lot of confidence to work. Deep down, we are grateful for that, and if we give 100%, we have to try to give 120%. The players demonstrate that every day. We are paving a positive path that will ultimately allow us to reap the rewards.”

Ontime Butarque: “This is an important stage for the club with the new stadium naming rights. It would be a source of pride to be able to give the fans a victory on Monday, but to achieve that, we have to do things very well. We will be facing a difficult opponent, who has a peculiar way of playing and who will put you under pressure at many moments. We will have to stay focused every minute and do a better job than them.”

Absences: “Only Pulido. There are players with minor injuries, such as Rubén Peña, and others who are coming back from inactivity, such as Óscar Plano and Franquesa, who we are treating with kid gloves.”

Physical condition: "We don't feel that it's a problem. It's true that there are players like Duk who are very explosive, but speaking collectively, it's true that it's not easy to maintain that pace throughout the game. We accept that risk. Soccer is a combination of many things, there will be times when we have to show more solidity and be more compact without the ball. It's difficult to achieve perfection, but that's what we're looking for, to be better in many aspects and to be a more complete team."

Style: "The key is to strike that balance. Our identity is to be a very aggressive team in the opponent's half; that's why we were signed. We want to dominate, but the games and our opponents are there to prevent that. We want to attack the opponent's goal a lot, but that doesn't mean you have to lose your balance. In that respect, we're not suffering too much either; we're the fourth least-scored-on team. I think that right now we need to be much more aggressive in the opposition's area."

Juan Cruz: "If we had fewer players out wide and the current structure changed, he could play on the flanks. He's talented and can play with the freedom to go inside or outside. It will depend on how the team is doing and what we want in each game, but he feels comfortable in his current position and gives us a lot."

Guirao: "It's difficult to find a player with Cissé's characteristics. He's more positional, but the way we have the team and the way we play, any of the three central midfielders can play. The games are very long, and the important thing is that all three are capable of playing, helping us, and doing it well. I'm very happy with how they work. We're seeing more and more the importance of the players who come off the bench."