Cadiz faces a crucial match in León. Imanol Idiakez’s side visits Cultural Leonesa in a game that could define their season. Confident of securing all three points against Rubén de la Barrera’s team, the San Sebastián-born coach emphasized they have fine-tuned details “to get the victory.” He also praised Joaquín González’s performance against Las Palmas and provided an update on Iza Carcelén, who is out for the remainder of the season.
With limited training time to prepare, Idiakez expressed satisfaction with his players’ attitude. “It’s a bit of an odd week because it’s short, and we worked the day after the match. I’m happy with the attitude. We came away empty-handed the other day against Las Palmas, but we did some things well. It didn’t happen, but we have to keep pushing. We need to focus on the details and be very precise with them. The difference lies in the details.”
Regarding the defeat, he noted that coming away without a reward hurts, but the squad has reacted well. “Not getting a reward hurts, especially for these lads who haven’t had much joy for a long time. The reaction has been good, and they are aware that we matched Las Palmas. We’ve tweaked things to secure the win in León.”
Asked about Joaquín and his display against Las Palmas, Idiakez discussed possible midfield adjustments. “We have many options in midfield. There have been changes in that position, and it was important to see that starting setup. As a coach, I look for balance. Both he and Moussa gave us that balance. They provided a good dynamic, and we have other possibilities too. I think he took a step forward. It’s important for players to step up. That will bring us closer as a team to victory.”
“Surely, carrying everything we carry, those final minutes where we don’t fully believe. A point was positive, and we had to value it. That is improvable because it’s related to morale and mindset. We need to value everything and appreciate every point. It looks like everything will be decided by very small margins. For so few days into a more complex idea, the team had good positioning and good intentions. We tried to push Las Palmas back into their area. The attitude was very good, and the team was alive. We face a very tough challenge on Saturday. They will pose difficulties and make it hard for us. We have to be prepared for everything,” he said.
In a pivotal match for survival, he acknowledged it won’t be easy given the opponent. “It’s a very important game. Our intention is to go there and win. A victory would be crucial to boost us and for everyone. The Cadiz fans need some joy, and we’ll fight for it. In León, everyone will be preparing a match full of traps. A win would fill us with morale on every level.”
With Iza injured, Juan Díaz or Alfred Caicedo are options for right-back. “Iza is frustrated. Being such a Cadiz fan and not being able to help. He was very down on Tuesday. He needs to recover as best he can. We know we’ve lost him for this season. We must do everything possible so that next year in Segunda we can enjoy Iza.” He also clarified the absences and the possibility of Ocampo returning. “Bojan is suspended, and Ocampo is training with the group.”
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