The coach of Real Oviedo, Veljko Paunovic, analyzed in a press conference his team's defeat at the Carlos Tartiere against Levante UD, in a match where the blues were unable to secure any points. The Oviedo coach highlighted the effort of his players and lamented the lack of accuracy in front of goal.
“They managed to make things work, and we have to congratulate them. We created enough, at least to equalize the match. We sought the draw, and that was the key. The goal eluded us, but we created a lot and had several opportunities. We could have added more quality to the finishing,” said Paunovic, visibly upset by the result.
The Serbian coach admitted feeling frustrated by the sense of having done enough to, at the very least, earn a point. “There’s more anger when you feel you’ve done more than the opponent, but you end up frustrated,” he confessed.
One of the most talked-about moments of the match was Levante's first goal, in which referee Munuera Montero was in the trajectory of the play and may have influenced the action. Paunovic did not shy away from the controversy, though he also called for self-criticism. “I think it’s evident that there was obstruction due to the referee’s positioning, which affected Reina. It had an influence, but we can’t expect or be naive. We had six players against one, and we should have blocked the shot. Football is a constant game of building and repairing; you can’t lose focus because of an unforeseen event.”
Regarding the lack of goals, the Carbayón coach considered it an area to improve rather than a cause for alarm. “More than worrying me, it makes it clear what we need to keep improving. It’s part of our commitment to work and constant improvement. We’ve progressed in other areas, like with the center-backs and midfielders, but we’re missing the next step.”
Paunovic also pointed to the difference in preparation between the two teams as a determining factor in physical performance. “One of the keys was the very different preparation both teams had. For the first 30 minutes, our freshness was superior, but after that, the drop-off was noticeable. They started to take more control. With the substitutions, we regained some energy, but unfortunately, we couldn’t score, which was the key.”
With this defeat, Real Oviedo left the Tartiere with the feeling of having done enough for more, although their coach insisted that the team “is on the right track” and that offensive improvement “will come with work and continuity.”