MADRID, 19 One. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The second coach of Elche, José Manuel Rodríguez Ortega, assured this Wednesday that they arrive “very motivated and excited” for the duel against Real Madrid in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, “one more test to continue growing” as a club to that they will give the “maximum importance”.
“We have to focus on the next game, tomorrow. We want to make Elche more and more competitive, tomorrow is one more test for the team to continue growing. There is always the candy of the Cup, we all want to go through the round and We are going to give it the utmost importance,” said Ortega, who will be on the bench against Real Madrid this Thursday after Francisco Rodríguez tested positive for COVID-19.
The technician confessed that they are “very motivated and excited”. “The team is on a good run and with a lot of confidence. It is true that what worries us and occupies us is the League, but we are going to try to maintain that competitive level that we are showing. The team has to grow towards where we want it to go. Our identity is to play each match as if it were the last”, he added.
The coaching staff, who will not decide on the starting eleven until tomorrow, is waiting for this afternoon’s session to find out which are the definitive casualties to face the whites. “We are going to try to compete with those who are in the best condition. The motivational aspect is not worked on, every professional wants to play a game like this against Real Madrid. The team that we put in will compete 100%, we will surely make things very difficult for the Real Madrid,” said Ortega.
“WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE BEST REAL MADRID”
“With the issue of casualties, we are waiting for the people who are touched, with the COVID, today a couple of players can be incorporated and on Saturday some more, although everything is a bit on ‘stand by’. The players that could enter after COVID they can perfectly fit into the starting eleven, a week without training with the group is not going to mean anything to them,” he said.
Thus, he did not confirm if there will be changes in the goal to face the current champion of the Spanish Super Cup. “The ‘feedback’ that the player transmits to you is important, we know who may have some kind of problem, but the coach has daily conversations with the players. That ‘feedback’ will determine who takes more risks or takes less risks,” he added. .
Ortega praised the Real Madrid squad, with “the best in the world”. “We don’t know if they will make many rotations, we have to wait for the best Real Madrid. As they come, we have to play a perfect game and that they don’t take advantage of the chances they give us. They come from beating two very good teams, this makes see that they will come with an important moral”, he analyzed.
“They are going to put us in a lot of difficulties, we have to minimize mistakes and take advantage of the options, because it is a team that gives you options to be able to hurt them,” said Francisco’s second.