The coach of Real Oviedo, Guillermo Almada, appeared this Saturday in the press room of El Requexón before the match that will see the blue team face Getafe CF this Sunday.
The Oviedo coach analyzed the physical and emotional state of the squad ahead of a new commitment for the Carbayón team. Regarding the injury report, Almada explained that “we don’t have major news regarding injuries” and noted that, beyond some usual physical discomfort at this stage of the season, the coaching staff is optimistic about the progress of Santiago Colombatto, who “has been dealing with discomfort in recent days,” although “we believe he will be in good condition.” Additionally, he confirmed that Leander Dendoncker remains out and that Agudín will play minutes with the reserve team.
Regarding the emotional state of the locker room, the blue coach acknowledged that the group is “affected by the situation and the recent results,” although he wanted to focus on the team’s reaction and the need to compete until the end. “There are still important matches left, and we have the responsibility to compete until the end,” Almada stated, adding that during the week, the work was focused on “recovering the team emotionally” without taking unnecessary physical risks in this decisive stage of the championship.
The Real Oviedo coach also appealed to the competitive pride of the squad to face the final matches of the season. “The strength must come from pride, character, and the competitive spirit that any professional footballer should have,” he said. In this regard, he reminded them of the responsibility of wearing the blue jersey: “We represent a very prestigious institution, and the players’ own prestige is also at stake.”
When asked about his future, Almada made it clear that his full attention is focused exclusively on the day-to-day and preparing for the next league match. “I don’t want to get distracted thinking about what will happen after the season,” the Oviedo coach explained. “When the championship ends, there will be time to analyze many things, but for now, all our attention must be on the immediate opponent.”
Looking ahead to the match against Getafe CF, the blue coach hinted that he might make some changes to the starting lineup in an effort to “improve the team’s performance, have more depth, and create more attacking opportunities.” Almada also mentioned the physical demands of recent weeks and acknowledged that “we are coming off a week with three matches, and it’s inevitable to think about rotations due to physical wear and the accumulation of minutes.”
Despite the last result, the coach positively evaluated some aspects of the team’s collective performance, although he admitted that greater offensive presence was lacking. “We had control during many moments, but we lacked depth and efficiency in the final third,” he explained. “The opponent made much better use of their opportunities, and we need to correct that.”
Finally, Almada highlighted the difficulty of Sunday’s match and praised the work of the Madrid team. “Getafe is a very tough team, with a very defined identity and high-level players,” said the blue coach, who emphasized the need to play “a very serious match” to be able to compete against the Azulón team.