Madelón after the draw: "The main thing is the squad are fit" | OneFootball

Unión drew 1-1 with Huracán at the 15 de Abril stadium for matchday 6 of the Clausura, and in the press conference, coach Leonardo Madelón shared his analysis. He acknowledged that the team did not show its best version, although he highlighted the importance of picking up points against a rival that, in his words, “didn’t let us be ourselves.”

“I took (Cristian) Tarragona off because he was at risk of being sent off. We weren’t the Unión we’re getting used to seeing. It’s a point I value. We’re becoming strong at home and this one we could have won or lost. Maybe Huracán didn’t let us. We’re two coaching staffs that know each other and it’s a rival that’s played several finals. They’re a very good team. The goals were similar. We weren’t what we like to be, but it’s always good to add points. We’re on the right track,” said the coach.

Madelón’s analysis of Unión

Madelón also explained tactical issues and his reading of the match: “They controlled our full-backs and had one on our center-backs. Against other rivals I might have put on more forwards. But it’s not about putting more people in attack. Because you might end up just sending in crosses and losing the midfield on clearances. You can’t be greedy and you have to understand we played against a well-drilled rival. We’re on the right path, we wanted all three points to stay at the top, but we have to stay prepared for what’s coming.”

Regarding the physical aspect and the squad’s response, Madelón was optimistic: “We’re good. The most important thing is that the squad is healthy. The only one is Bruno Pittón, who’s recovering from a cruciate injury. The team responds to adversity. Every match is different and Huracán studied us. You could see that—they didn’t let us be ourselves. On top of that, it was an unusual time and you could see the team was sluggish, when we’re usually explosive. But the kids gave it their all. We have to stay calm and not complain about the calls. We needed to win, but we didn’t play well.”

The coach was satisfied with the condition of several of his players: “(Rodríguez) Maizon is good, same as Juan Ludueña, and Nico Paz is doing really well. Not to mention Claudio Corvalán. Maybe Fernando Díaz is the one struggling the most with adaptation, but we’re well prepared for the run of games. No excuses, we’re ready. If it were up to me, I’d play every two days because football is so beautiful. You have to unload to reload.”

About Marcelo Estigarribia’s goal, Madelón said: “I didn’t see the play. I don’t know if he was offside. If he was, it was a call in our favor (laughs). I’m happy for Chelo. He’s a striker who scores and he’s found the net again. I supported him a lot when he was down and it was clear his goals would come. That’s how I am with everyone. Little by little, it’s happening.”

Madelón looks ahead to the Copa Argentina clash

Already thinking about what’s next, the coach didn’t hesitate to highlight the importance of the Copa Argentina and the upcoming match against River: “River has an amazing squad, but we also have good players. It’s about doing our thing and finding the best strategy to try to take advantage wherever we can. These are the games we like. It reminds us of what happened eight years ago. We’re in good shape and after that, it’s football. Hopefully we can mark a new beginning in the Copa Argentina.”

Finally, Madelón emphasized: “We’re getting out of the lower zone, but the Copa Argentina is extremely important. It gives you beautiful things. I always defend it. It’s really important and that’s why we always want to be in it.”

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