Eduardo Coudet Discusses Team Challenges and Upcoming Match Against Villarreal

Eduardo Coudet addressed the media to analyze the upcoming visit to the Estadio de la Cerámica this Saturday while also reflecting on various aspects concerning the current state of Alavés.

**Negative Streak:** “We are working hard. The last match did not go well. Beyond our efforts, we had to engage in discussions among ourselves. We did not perform well in many areas where the team has previously excelled.”

**Villarreal:** “They are a Champions League contender, led by an exceptionally wise coach with a global reputation.”

**Reaction:** “We need to change our recent performance. There are matches where you may play well or poorly, but it’s essential to consistently demonstrate our identity as a team. This week has been inconsistent in terms of conditions, but we have no excuses as we have been able to train effectively. I hope we can regain many of the positive elements we had been displaying.”

**League Position:** “Our primary goal is to maintain our league status. This has been clear from the beginning. We have two more points than last season, and there is one match remaining. We are also in the third round of the Cup. Where is the crisis? We acknowledge that we played poorly in the last match and ended in a draw. We had hoped to win and move into tenth place. We are not in the same situation as last year, despite facing greater challenges.”

**Winter Market:** “We are in need of a center-back who can also play as a full-back, because if we count Nahuel as a center-back, we currently have only one right-back. It’s quite rare for a team in the top division to have four youth players debuting in the first team. Given our circumstances, I don’t think we are in a bad position. We could have gained 6 or 7 more points in terms of performance. We also need a striker.”

**Market Resources:** “Our salary cap constraints dictate our actions. Just a week before the season started, Villarreal came in and took one of our center-backs. Espanyol came and took away 15 goals with Kike García. I don’t want to make excuses, but considering the context, we are not in a bad situation. As we begin the second half of the season, many teams will find themselves in tight spots, making it feel like the start of a new 19-match season.”

**Maras, Diarrá, and Mariano:** “Each situation is unique. The players we currently have do not include those we initially prepared for. I strive to lead the group with clear guidelines. We also did not anticipate the situation with Garcés, but it occurred. All these circumstances have complicated matters more than expected. I believe this does not affect the group internally. Both we and the club are serious in our approach, and there are certain behaviors that cannot be tolerated.”