And in his view, they will be changes that “bring us closer to winning.” That was the case when Real Zaragoza, after being dominated by Antequera in the first 45 minutes of last weekend’s match, made changes and went on to win. “We will make changes because we need different players to be closer to winning,” the coach insisted.
The same applies to their style of play. “We are facing a similar defensive setup. You will find different things in the build-up, in the final third… the team has to evolve and every match is different. The stadium, the team, the dimensions… you will see different things,” he said of the way Real Zaragoza will approach the match.
Ibai Gómez, on his first day in charge of Real Zaragoza on the pitch with a ball. Photo: Diego Sanz
He praised certain combinations at Real Zaragoza that could provide some light. “The Rubo–Diego partnership is exceptional, everyone will like it, very reliable; the Marco–Jaume connection was also good; Vadillo–Raúl or Raúl–Ureña… we are getting better every day,” he said.
Of those players, Marco Sangalli, Jaume Jardí, Raúl Pereira and Óscar Ureña did not start against Antequera. Instead, they played important roles in securing the win. So the changes could involve that group.
VERY DIFFICULT
That said, he also wanted to emphasize the difficulty of the division. Real Zaragoza are not exempt from that despite their status. “The opponents play too and we have to respect them. That is why we celebrated the goal in the 90' minute like that last weekend. It will be very difficult,” he insisted.
Ultimately, however, it is about being “predictable” for teammates and “unpredictable” for the opponent. Playing in the opposition’s half, creating chances, preventing them from creating opportunities at your own goal and taking shots is the formula he outlined. The only unavoidable one, moreover, for winning a football match.
Real Zaragoza play Juventud de Torremolinos this Sunday at 4:00 p.m. in a match that should confirm whether they have returned to winning ways. If they do so, the Aragón side will record consecutive wins, something that will be essential if they are to remain near the top of the table. It would also give them six points from the nine available.
