Eder Sarabia Reflects on Elche’s Draw Against Osasuna

omidbasir- Eder Sarabia, the coach of Elche, analyzed his team’s goalless draw against Osasuna. The Basque manager believes that his team deserved to win by a substantial margin, but their ongoing poor run may have impacted their finishing accuracy.

Sarabia remarked on the missed opportunities, stating, “The only thing we lacked was accuracy. We played exceptionally well, both with and without the ball, and created numerous chances. At another point in the season, with a different momentum, this could have easily been a 4-0 or 5-1 victory. We are not at that level of accuracy right now. We need to continue in this manner; the players appreciate what we are doing and interpret it well. This is perhaps the only sport where you can be significantly superior to your opponent and not secure a victory. We must reinforce the positives in our performance and address areas that have cost us in previous matches. The accuracy will come.”

Regarding the clean sheet, Sarabia commented, “They created very few chances against us. In the first half, none at all. In the second half, Aimar had one opportunity along the byline. It would have been incredibly frustrating to lose. We have implemented many strategies to minimize the opponent’s chances, and I am pleased with our performance. Although we did not secure a win, we gained a point and must continue to grow.”

On a discussion with Sergio Herrera, he stated, “There are aspects of football that I don’t particularly like. Sometimes we normalize exaggeration and time-wasting. I prefer to win and to handle situations differently. I understand that football also involves being clever and strategic, but it wasn’t a decisive factor today.”

Sarabia also addressed Dituro’s return, saying, “He didn’t have much work to do and wasn’t crucial in terms of ball distribution. We have been under more pressure lately. The decision was based on the energy, leadership, and personality I believed were necessary for a change. Iñaki Peña has contributed significantly, but I knew Mati would provide what we need. Competition should continue.”

He expressed his disappointment for André Silva and Álvaro Rodríguez, noting, “They performed exceptionally well together. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a strong pair of forwards. They just needed a bit more accuracy. They are both frustrated, especially Álvaro. That frustration will pass, and we need to retain the positives. We played impressively against a rival that has been on a fantastic run. We must reinforce our strengths and focus on what we can control to maintain this level.”

Discussing Petrot’s performance on the right side, he explained, “We didn’t want to push too much in that area. The aim was either to draw the opponent in or find opportunities for penetrating passes. It was a more defensive than offensive position, and he performed excellently.”

On the team’s overall progress, he noted, “There were many positive aspects from our last match in San Sebastián. We haven’t lost the form we exhibited in the first half of the season. This match was much stronger than our games against Rayo or Girona, but we still need to find the net. The team consistently maintains a high level of play. Except for Barcelona, our opponents have not clearly dominated us. It is commendable for a newly promoted team to sustain this level. If we had been more accurate, it could have been our best match of the season.”

Reflecting on Tete Morente’s re-debut, Sarabia stated, “He was very solid defensively and showed great commitment. In the attack, he struggled more in the first half, but after we made some adjustments in the second half, he improved. He has just arrived and feels the responsibility to live up to the expectations of being at home. I believe he will only get better.”

Regarding Lucas Cepeda, he mentioned, “He seemed to tire as the minutes progressed. He trains more centrally with us nowadays. We have seen him play more on the outside, but he had a great match in the center. He is increasingly understanding the game. He possesses the ability to break through defenses, strike, and show personality. I believe he will continue to improve.”

Finally, addressing whether missed opportunities were due to anxiety, Sarabia concluded, “In football, the mental aspect often makes the difference, especially with the pressure involved. In our last training session, we were sharp with our finishing. The forwards performed excellently, and their previous missed chances did not weigh on their subsequent actions. They need to remain confident. When players are engaged with the game, goals will come. It’s frustrating because we were eager to win. Álvaro has been performing at a high level, and André delivered his best performance since joining us.”