Mehdi Nafti, Leganés coach, has positively valued the confrontation they will have the pepineros against Real Sociedad in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey. Despite the fact that the txuri-urdines are “one of the best in Primera”, the coach has described the game as “a gift from Kings” for his fans for enjoying “beautiful football against one of the best in Primera.”
Reflections of the KO tournament embedded in the middle of a League that, on Saturday, against Málaga at La Rosaleda (16:00), will close 2021 for Leganés. He will do it near the relegation places, although Nafti repeats that “the classification does not interest me”, but “making the team grow”. However, the French-Tunisian cannot deny that “winning would be important for the group, because we were happy to go to the break”, against a rival that he described as “brave”. “But Leganés has enough wickers for us to think only of ourselves,” he clarified.
And speaking of wickers, Nafti has also confirmed that the recovery of a good part of his injured (among them, Bustinza, affected by COVID), which will force him to leave Javir Avilés, one of the highlights in Copa last Wednesday, out from the list “for technical reasons”. “It’s a shame, but entering the list is complicated and even more so in the eleven,” he repeated. The coach will have the absences of Perea and Vico injured and Bruno, sanctioned.
What casualties do you have?
The ones we’ve had lately. Perea is not there, Fede Vico is not there either. Bruno is sanctioned. Little more. It was difficult to make a call today. We had to leave Avilés out of the call due to a technical decision. It’s the only one. A disgrace, because he did well in León the other day, but it is difficult for this last game of the year.
Will you give continuity to Bautista?
We will see tomorrow about being a starter … we know it, but we will not give clues. But you have to be careful with Jon. The plan was to give him half an hour and he played more than 70 minutes. You have to be careful not to burn it, especially now that it is the last game before the break.
Will the objective for the remainder of the season be to maintain the category?
The goal, since we got here, is to grow. The classification does not interest me. It interests me that we compete, that we be consistent, that we see what we work on. There is plenty of time to do math and numbers.
What is your assessment of the Cup draw?
It is a powerful team. Of the best of the First Division. I would have liked better to play against another team that we have discussed in the locker room. But it is a gift from Kings for our fans. Showy football against one of the best in Primera. We will continue with our double objective League / Cup… above all, it will be our first match of the year and the Cup at home.
How to get hold of Malaga?
It is a powerful, daring team. Things always happen. They attack like many people. He is not afraid of transitions, of fitting in … he is a template made for it. They create many chances in every game. We have to counter that. Take the ball from them, be good at transitions, have legs and play a serious and complete game.
Is it very important to finish the first lap outside the descent?
It is very important to end the year scoring or winning for us, for our people. To go on a happy vacation. Not for a classification issue. For us, yes …
Are you worried about having reached extra time in the Cup?
I would have liked to go home earlier and winning. That’s clear. There are players who have played more. I would have liked to give less minutes to Jon, Recio, Sabin … I would have liked to give fewer minutes to Quintillá who accumulated 120 minutes plus the 90 of the Ponfe and had not played … but as I have always said, I have a very, very squad wide. Of those that started in León and tomorrow, there will be few.
Can Leganés play with two forwards?
Yes, whenever an important piece is added to us, as a Bautista, it is important. We can do it with Sabin, we can play inside with Eraso … it is difficult to enter a call. Imagine on an eleven. It’s a good head meal.
What do you think about your time at Leganés personally?
Personally I am happy, very happy. Everyone in the club, from my props to my president, for putting a hierarchy within the club, they have all helped us a lot. They have helped us to get to know the club and the squad. Personally, super happy. Professionally, I am happy, but I am not satisfied with what we have done. I have a lot of ambition. I want more. I want to take Leganés as high as possible.
Is Malaga very strong in Butarque?
I would not be interested in what the rival can do. It does not condition me that they are good at home. It is a field that tightens, pushes. They have a good streak. But that does not condition me or that they lose in the Cup. We look at ours. I think we have wickers to focus on our work. Of course, knowing that we are playing with a team that has more points and better classified than us. Leganés, I repeat, has wickers to focus only on what is ours.
#Nafti #Playing #Real #Cup #good #gift #Kings