Leo Madelón: "No need to change just because a big club is coming" | OneFootball

Leo Madelón spoke after practice at Casa Unión and highlighted the team's current form following the draw against Independiente, looking ahead to the clash against Boca.

After Thursday's training at the Casa Unión grounds, Unión's coach, Leonardo Madelón, spoke to the press and began to anticipate the duel that Tatengue will face on Sunday at 10 PM against Boca Juniors at the 15 de Abril stadium.

The red-and-white coach highlighted the performance shown in the recent 4-4 draw against Independiente, although he emphasized that the challenge now is to maintain that level.

“This morning we talked about the last match, which was very good, but it's already behind us. Now we have to prove it wasn't a fluke. These are challenges, and we have to keep challenging ourselves,” he expressed.

Unión, with a high-caliber opponent

Thinking about the match against Boca, Madelón appreciated the quality of the opponent, although he made it clear that Unión arrives with confidence. “It's a big club, with good players. But we are also doing well, so we have to play a good match. Hopefully, we all arrive in good condition,” he stated.

At the same time, he warned about the offensive potential of the xeneize team and the need to avoid mistakes. “They have very good individual players in the midfield and dangerous forwards. If you get distracted, you pay for it. But they also make mistakes, and we can hurt them,” he analyzed.

The team's identity

The coach highlighted the identity the team has been building in recent months and urged not to change it because of the current opponent.

“We shouldn't change because a big team is coming. Unión has to be Unión: a simple, dynamic team that runs a lot and also moves the ball,” he affirmed.

In that sense, the coach recalled the team's performance in Avellaneda. “I felt happy the other day because I saw a team that played very well: simple, wide, without stinginess. We created many chances and scored goals in a difficult stadium,” he valued.

Uncertainty in Unión's squad

Regarding the team's lineup, Madelón explained that there are still some physical situations to monitor closely. About Marcelo Estigarribia, he detailed that his presence will depend on how he evolves in the coming days. “He has many stitches and is a player who relies heavily on aerial play. We will only know if he's ready close to Sunday,” he explained.

Meanwhile, about Mateo Del Blanco, he clarified that his absence from practice was precautionary. “He had dizziness, a drop in blood pressure, nothing serious. We preferred to avoid him training today,” he commented.

A strong and committed group

Finally, Madelón valued the internal atmosphere of the squad and the competition generated within the group. “It's a synergy that has formed here. The one who is out encourages and pushes because they know that if the one playing slips up, there's another ready to step in. That makes the team grow,” he highlighted.

And he concluded with a phrase that sums up the excitement generated by Sunday's match: “When you're a kid and they tell you you're going to play football, you always want to do it against Boca or River. How can we not be ready for this match?”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.