The coach, who has “seven absences in midfield,” highlights SD Eibar’s qualities: “They are a great team and in all stats are at the top of the table. They are among the best, which is why they’re in second or third place in the standings. They’re having a very good season, I know almost all of the squad, and they have two starting teams.”

The Asturian coach said that “the team is alive. We believe a lot in the team and the work we’re doing. We’re a family, we’re on the same page as all departments within the Club, in regard to the team and the players. We must maintain the balance. We’re currently in a poor dynamic due to Sunday’s unexpected defeat. That loss hurt us, but it also serves as a learning experience. This is going to be a very tough match against a powerful rival, but we’re going there with the ambition to compete and win the three points,” he said about #EibarMálaga.

“It’s rare that at this point we haven’t had a dynamic of three defeats,” said José Alberto. “They are the first ones who want to win and give their best level. Málaga have a spectacular history, but you can’t win a match on the shield alone. If we think that, we’re on the wrong track,” he added.

Due to the player absences, José Alberto isn’t ruling out a change of system at Ipurua: “We’re looking into it, not a drastic change, but it is one of the solutions we’re proposing. We have to take a change into account this week as we have different players. It’s one of the possibilities, let’s hope we get it right.”