Sarabia Prepares for Elche vs. Valencia Clash with Confidence and Focus

Eder Sarabia addressed the media on Friday ahead of the upcoming match between Elche and Valencia, scheduled for Saturday at 21:00 hours at Mestalla. The coach conveyed a sense of calm and ambition, firmly believing that his team is in a good place and poised to conclude a first half of the season that he describes as ‘wonderful.’

The Basque coach emphasized that Elche is maintaining ‘the trajectory of what this season has been,’ showcasing a clear identity and a well-defined game plan. Sarabia highlighted the team’s growth and pointed out one of the remaining challenges: improving their away results from Martínez Valero. “We have played well on the road, but we have lacked the conviction we demonstrate at home. We want to display the security and firmness of who we are,” he stated.

Regarding player absences, Sarabia confirmed that Héctor Fort and Rafa Mir will not participate, while André Silva and John Chetauya remain doubts until the last minute. Nevertheless, the coach expressed satisfaction with the offensive resources at his disposal and ruled out the immediate need to strengthen the attack during the winter market: “For tomorrow, we have Adam and Álvaro. Looking ahead to the rest of the season, there is no necessity for additional forwards. We have alternatives, and now is Adam’s opportunity,” he explained.

The prospect of achieving 25 points by the end of the first half of the season serves as an additional motivation for Sarabia: “It’s a positive message and a great motivation. We have little to lose and much to gain. We need that conviction to cap off a fantastic first half of the season,” he remarked.

On the topic of their opponent, Sarabia avoided showing any sign of overconfidence. He acknowledged that Valencia is experiencing a challenging moment in the standings but highlighted their footballing quality: “They may not be well placed in the table, but they do many things right. They have plenty of players and a very strong fan base. It will be an exciting match,” he commented, while also noting the potential impact of new Valencia signing Sadiq on the game’s outcome.

Sarabia also downplayed external factors such as local anxiety, the accumulation of matches, or scheduling concerns, choosing instead to focus solely on the footballing aspects. Even the controversial officiating from their last encounter at Mestalla took a backseat, although he acknowledged it could provide an extra edge.”