The coach of Real Oviedo, Guillermo Almada, analyzed in a press conference the draw of his team against RCD Espanyol in a match that, as he explained, had two very different halves for the Asturian team.
The Uruguayan coach acknowledged that his team improved significantly after the break and was more satisfied with what he saw in the second half. “I was more pleased with the second half. We had more possession and recovered the ball more often near the opponent's goal. We created chances during that period, but we couldn't convert them,” he explained.
Almada pointed out that in the first half, the team struggled too much without the ball and had difficulties controlling the game. “During the first half, we lost the ball very quickly and spent a lot of time chasing the opponent. In the second half, we regained our essence and were closer to winning than in the first,” he stated.
The coach also acknowledged the good work of Espanyol during the first 45 minutes. “Espanyol deserves a lot of credit. They played very well, and we made many mistakes. We lost the ball very quickly,” he commented.
Regarding the changes made after the break, Almada explained that they were aimed at bringing energy to a team affected by physical fatigue and some particular situations within the squad. “I was looking to refresh the team, especially for the players who are observing Ramadan, as they are in a complex situation. Due to certain circumstances, they were exhausted, and we tried to refresh the wings,” he detailed.
The coach also referred to the participation of some players who need to accumulate minutes. “Thiago and Ilic need minutes, although Ilic's natural position is not on the wing,” he added.
Finally, Almada admitted that the team still has room for improvement, although the schedule makes it difficult to work on the training field. “From my point of view, there is room for improvement, but we don't have much time. We are prioritizing the recovery of the players and cannot train too much. Against Rayo, we paid the price for the effort made against Atlético de Madrid,” he concluded.