Igor Oca: “It's a very important game, and that's how we have to approach it"

C.D. Leganés head coach Igor Oca appeared at a press conference on Friday ahead of the team’s match against Real Valladolid on Saturday (6:30 p.m.) at the José Zorrilla Stadium, as part of Matchday 30 of LALIGA HYPERMOTION.

The Blue-and-White coach offered the following assessment of the team’s current situation ahead of the match:

Absences: “In addition to the players we’ve been missing—Jorge, Rubén, and Lalo, who is almost ready but with whom we won’t take any risks—we now have Diawara and Millán out due to suspensions.”

A direct battle for survival: “The standings make that clear. We have thirteen games left, but both teams are aiming for the same thing: to move away from the relegation zone. That’s the reality.”

Adjustments in midfield: “Every match presents a different situation; sometimes it depends on who we’re playing and what we believe our strengths might be. We’ve played relatively few matches with me in one way or another, but once we get Diawara back, we’ll be able to see him again either alone in the pivot role or alongside someone else.”

Positive stats in Valladolid: “We sometimes mention this, but it can be viewed from different angles. In the Second Division, we’ve never won at Zorrilla, but four matchdays ago, with Igor Oca, we were in playoff contention. We can’t be complacent, but we can stay calm to make the best decisions. It will be a complex and crucial match. It’s not a final, because there are still games left, but it is very important, and that’s how we have to approach it.”

Reference to the first-leg match: “Things are constantly changing, and the dynamics play a role. The situation will be different. We've conceded the third-fewest goals, and from there we need to build on that and improve our attacking play, make the most of it, and secure the win.”

Strong away form: “It depends on where you start looking at the stats. We’re coming off a hard-fought point against Sporting and three other losses. Approaching the match at Zorrilla will be crucial, without focusing on what’s happened so far or much of the first-leg match.”

More merit: “We’re the fifth-highest scoring team, and that tells you we’re building plays well, but we’re not converting. We have to keep working on that. We are where we are, and no matter how much people praise the team, the reality is that we’re fighting to move away from the positions Huesca currently occupies. We have to be consistent.”

What would satisfy him: “We have to be a team that can compete against anyone. But we’re not satisfied with that; we have to win, and anything less than a win will lead to disappointment, even if you play a good game and compete well. We have to combine those elements: play well, compete well, and achieve the goal of earning the points.”

Message to the fans: "Over the past month, we've had two losses and two draws. If we look back further, the results were coming in. There are several teams in the same position as us, facing the same challenges. We have to work to build momentum, and it would be much harder without your support, both at home and on the road. Six hundred fans will be there tomorrow, and that’s crucial. We owe it to them for many reasons, and we want to share these small steps with them. I’m not asking them for anything; as a coach, I feel I have to give them that victory through training and the players’ conviction.”

Progress since his arrival: "There are certain things that are indisputable. We continue to put in a defensive performance we can build on, but we need to take a step forward in terms of finishing. We need to be more clinical. We can’t write it all off—the other day they scored off a set piece, and then we created chances but couldn’t find the net. We have to keep pushing and fine-tune those final meters. We need to analyze the process to bring out the good things we have. When we arrived, we were in the relegation zone, and right now we’re out of it—we’re not complacent or satisfied by any means, but we have to keep working to move further away from the positions we’re in and to start winning games."

Relegation threat: "The reality is that we’re just one game away from the drop. Tomorrow’s match is crucial. We need to approach the final games in a very different position in the standings. We have to tackle this the way the players do—by talking it through among ourselves. What happens if we don’t turn this situation around? Reflecting on this with thirteen games left has to give us a boost. We have to work our hearts out, driven by emotion, by feeling it. We’re at a club that’s been hurt, and those setbacks make it seem like the world is ending. We’re certainly in a situation that isn’t calm, but we have the ability to get through it, with the help of the fans and the composure to do things right."

Important match: “I don’t feel like it’s a final. Labeling it that way wouldn’t get us anywhere. This could get even more complicated, and then we’ll have to fight our way out of it. It’s fundamental, key—a direct showdown that we have to approach that way.”

Why the team will avoid relegation: “We believe we’ll avoid relegation because we compete well, we concede few goals, and we can build from there. From there, we can work to create more opportunities on offense and finish them off. That’s the key to saying we have to win the upcoming matches.”

On his performance since arriving: "I'm not happy with my performance. We have to appreciate every small step, but neither I nor the team are satisfied. Without thinking about the medium or long term, we want more, starting with the next game. Mentally, it will help if we can secure those points; if we do, we’ll move up the table. But we need to take that step forward, face the situation we’re in. We have to be brave and avoid being pessimistic or thinking negatively."

Diawara’s absence: “Guirao plays in the same position, but there are several others who can play there. We’ve considered different options, and among them we’ll try to choose the best one to help us win.”

Right back: “Leiva and Figueredo were coming off injuries. Leiva played well when he got the chance; both are fit, and we’re happy with both of them.”