Osasuna coach believes his side can cause Madrid problems but admits adjustments are inevitable
Osasuna head coach Alessio Lisci addressed the press on Monday ahead of his team’s La Liga opener at the Santiago Bernabéu, where Real Madrid will begin their campaign as well.
Lisci embraced the challenge of facing Los Blancos so early in the campaign, noting that games of this magnitude are the ones every player and coach looks forward to:
“It’s a great challenge and a difficult match. We’re approaching them with the utmost enthusiasm. It’s always good to play those games. We all like playing against those teams.”
The Italian coach suggested Madrid’s recent participation in the FIFA Club World Cup may give them an edge in cohesion heading into the new season:
“They played in the Club World Cup and were able to get to know each other and build a team there. I think it’s been a good preseason for them. The pitch will tell whether it’s an advantage or not.”
Lisci spoke at length about Osasuna’s identity under his watch — aiming to become a balanced team that can handle multiple phases of play. Still, he admitted that going up against Madrid at the Bernabéu requires tactical tweaks:
“We’re going to try to make it a balanced team, one that can dominate all phases of the game. That’s the direction we’re heading in; what’s important are certain principles. It’s marking the positive development we’re making.
“It’s obvious that when you go to stadiums like the Bernabéu, there are very high-level opponents, and you have to adjust things. I see myself capable of hurting the opponent; that’s what football is about.”
For Madrid, Lisci’s words will sound familiar: another visiting coach insisting his side can “hurt” Los Blancos if they execute their game plan. Whether Osasuna can actually manage it is another story. At the Bernabéu, the margin for error is razor thin — and Lisci himself admitted the key will be whether his players can translate their preseason preparation into execution against one of the world’s toughest opponents:
“I’d like to see an Osasuna that knows how to do what we’ve been working on. That’s capable of understanding the moments of the match, of knowing how to respond to Real Madrid. We have to be able to solve patterns. We want to be able to see what we’ve done these past few weeks.”
Category: General Sports
