Iraola: “The team is alive, but there is a problem with the goal”

MADRID, March 19. (Royals Blue) –

The coach of Rayo Vallecano, Andoni Iraola, lamented the defeat suffered against Atlético de Madrid, on matchday 29 of the Santander League, and assured that they are “alive” despite not having won in all of 2022, in addition to acknowledging “a problem with the goal.

“Football is a game of hits and misses and we haven’t hit the opponent’s box. In general, the match has had moments for them and for us. It has been quite balanced, we have even had clearer chances than them but at The end is to score a goal. Football rewards success. They have achieved that goal and we haven’t, that’s why we’re leaving empty”, analyzed Iraola after the 0-1.

“You don’t have to look at the streaks, or anything, it’s that we’re having a problem because we’re not scoring goals. The offensive volume is good and even more so against a team like Atlético de Madrid. And defensively, the last teams that have passed through here, Sevilla, Real Madrid… they’ve scored just one goal against us. You can accept that this type of team will score a goal because you don’t score anything, but it’s costing us”, he admitted at a press conference.

In addition, Iraola did not hide about it. “The numbers are there and we have to find the best solution and combination of players to be more effective. It is the first and most necessary thing to score points. We have players offensively who have shown that they can score goals and obviously we will have to make adjustments and take on more risks because the team is defending well, we are controlling powerful teams and we will have to charge the area more to win”, he added.

Asked how he sees his players, the rayista coach had no doubts. “I see the team well, we have played against Atlético, which is a great team, and we have played the match. I don’t see the team overcome, it is difficult when you don’t win and it is difficult to justify yourself. I see the team alive but I do recognize a problem offensive, there is a problem with the goal,” he said.

“The team is eager, the players are very confident, today we were thinking that we could have a good game against Atlético de Madrid but the result has not arrived (…) We have to make the points we have to make to save ourselves and nobody He is going to give them to us, but I trust the players, in how they come out onto the field and I have a feeling that we can get our hands on the rivals”, he commented.

“We know that when the results don’t arrive, it’s more complex, but we’ll have to grit our teeth and train even better and trust in what we’re doing. We’re in a situation where a good result would make us see things differently” Iraola concluded.