Madelón after the defeat: "We mustn’t lose that fighting team spirit" | OneFootball

After the 3-1 defeat against Central Córdoba in Santiago del Estero, Leonardo Madelón spoke at a press conference and provided a deep analysis of the current situation of Unión, which has dropped several places in the Zone A table of the Clausura.

The coach acknowledged that the team is not at its best, although he urged calm: “Performances have dropped, it could be. Anyone can see that this is not the Unión we like. It’s not what we want, but stay calm. I am always balanced and I never boasted that we were fighting at the top. We are coming out of a difficult situation. Perhaps we gained a lot quickly and it wasn’t healthy. Now we will analyze what we can change. I need to reflect for a couple of days. The group is hurt because we don’t like losing, but we are intact.”

Madelón insisted on the need to remain calm and continue trusting the group, which he valued for its commitment: “We need to find balance and give chances, with opportunities for the players. I have a lot of respect for this squad because many were questioned for their performance and we put in a lot of work. There are good players and we are not performing well. But this doesn’t mean that Monday will start with good energy. Unión needs to add points to get out of that uncomfortable zone.”

The coach also critiqued the development of the match: “This was a game where we lost in the midfield and I warned that the secret would be there. The plan failed. The plan was good because most teams play 4-2-3-1, with a comfortable spot for (Nicolás) Palavecino. On the board, everything works out, but it wasn’t always like that because we weren’t good and it’s noticeable that several players dropped.”

Regarding the team’s current state, he was clear: “We need to find the best players and if their performance has dropped, they will be out. No one tells me or indicates who to play. We are going to train a lot. What we must not lose is the spirit of a tough team that no one wanted to face. Unión is a bit more fragile or light. We need to see why we were doing very well and now we’re not. Before, we weren’t phenomenal and now we’re not a disaster.”

In his review, Madelón admitted that the team lost part of its competitive identity: “I have to discover what’s happening. Maybe we lost the strong instinct up front and often it affects confidence. I think we lost the hard team mentality. Maybe a little humility from the coach is needed.”

The coach also took a moment to remember and pay tribute to Miguel Russo, who recently passed away: “Much admiration and respect for Miguel Russo. I always admired his career. Everyone speaks well of him and at the end of his career, he receives praise for a reason.”

Finally, he left a hopeful message for what’s to come: “We need to identify what the error is. It’s a challenge to see where it is. Then, focus on that. Not long ago we were at the top with a dream team and now we’re not, which is why I appeal for balance. I am calm about that. We need to get back on our feet quickly and in a positive mode.”

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