Rubén Albés: “It's our responsibility to keep inspiring people”

C.D. Leganés head coach Rubén Albés appeared at a press conference on Friday ahead of the team’s match against Granada C.F. on Sunday (9:00 p.m.) at Ontime Butarque Stadium, as part of Matchday 6 of LALIGA HYPERMOTION 2026/27.

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

Injuries: “Unax is back. Rubén Peña is questionable—we’ll see if he’s fit to play—and Morata is also questionable due to gastrointestinal issues.”

Issues with the wingbacks: “We’re not considering changing our formation because we’ve been working on it for some time. These are players who can adapt, and they’ll get better every day. Changing would mean playing center backs at fullback, and that’s not what we want given our style.”

Strikers’ effectiveness: “I’m convinced we’ll score goals. We have different options up front—some have joined us later, others are coming back from injury… We’re confident about our strikers.”

Regular starting lineup: “We don’t rotate; we put in the players we believe are best for those matches. We’re limited by injuries on the wings—Diawara, Unax… We’ve had several long-term absences, and that doesn’t allow us to make many changes. We’ll see this week.”

Possible scoring problem: “It shouldn’t be an issue. It’s all just gotten started. We’re trying to integrate a lot of new players, and now it’s time to fine-tune things—to build chemistry in certain positions. When you make so many changes, you need time to get to know each other. We’re making progress, and I’m convinced we’ll start scoring goals.”

Volatile league: “We’re sticking to the plan, and the plan includes the possibility of a loss. It’s part of the competitive process. Only one team remains undefeated. The big difference will be how we respond to the previous loss. If we come away with a positive result, we’ll have learned from it. We have to accept both victory and defeat and stay the course. The team is doing a lot of things right and feels comfortable playing soccer.”

Granada: “They’re a team that plays with wide spacing on offense and isn’t easy to defend against. They’re doing things right; they have a mix of youth and experience and an expert coach. It’ll be tough, and we’ll have to adapt our game plan to the unique characteristics they bring as a team.“

Room for improvement: ”Plenty. We’ve taken the first step—knowing how we play and what we want at every moment. We still need to fine-tune the details in each position and ensure the chemistry between players starts to click. We’re looking for those connections on the field."

A team going for the three points: “Always. We did the same in Las Palmas; our top priority is always to win, but picking up points is never easy.”

Rayo Vallecano at home at Ontime Butarque: “The field will be the same for both teams, so we can’t use that as an excuse. I’m glad to be playing in front of our fans again. I experience the city every day, and the fans are eager. It’s our responsibility to keep inspiring them, and I know they’ll continue to give that extra push we need because this is an incredibly tight league.”

Goals: “I always say the same thing: I’m focused on the next game, and a win would bring joy to everyone. Soccer presents weekly challenges; depending on how we perform, the fans will leave happy. I don’t know what the future holds.”

Morata: “He’s had some gastrointestinal issues; he didn’t train yesterday, but he’s been with us today, and we’ll see how he’s doing by Sunday. I’m convinced he’ll be ready, though I don’t know in what condition.”

Asymmetrical schedule: “It forces us to organize everything in terms of rest periods, travel… It’s harder to pick up points on the road, but that’s modern soccer. We have to adapt—that’s the reality we face. Let’s stay positive and enjoy this week of playing at home.”

Salary cap: “When you step onto the field, you want to win. You can’t be a player without the ambition to win. You don’t win for the money, but because you want to be better than the opponent. You don’t get more points for having more money; you play to win because you want to win and enjoy the game, love soccer, and have your reputation on the line.”

Gharbi: “He’s an extremely well-rounded player—he has the final pass, can shoot with both feet, has pace, hunger, energy, and understanding… He’s special to us. When he’s not there, someone else with different skills will step up and give us options to win the next game as well.”