Cádiz CF head coach Gaizka Garitano spoke to the press following the 1-1 draw against CD Castellón in Matchday 28 of LALIGA Hypermotion.
Match Analysis
"We wanted to win. We played well in the first half, but then it became more difficult, and we rushed our attacks. The match was dangerous, but we defended well. They had a couple of close calls, as they have quality players and controlled possession. This team is not easy to counter, and we struggled quite a bit in the second half."
Team’s Performance
"The team ran and worked hard. Castellón demands a lot; they are one of the teams with the most possession and among the top goal scorers, creating many chances. However, we managed to prevent them from having a single shot on target. We struggled with ball possession, but there was no overconfidence. We can’t go from a team that never wins to a team that always does. We lost possession too quickly, often trying the final pass instead of maintaining fluid play. In terms of commitment, the team put in a tremendous effort."
Roger Martí’s Performance
"He needs more match rhythm. Chris had taken a hit and had already put in an incredible effort. We needed 25 minutes of freshness with Roger. These are players coming back from injuries, and they need minutes to reach their best level."
Substitutions
"They came on during a difficult moment because the opponent had more possession. We were trying too many individual plays instead of keeping the game flowing. The spaces they left open invited us to go for the final pass. In the closing minutes, the match was risky, even though we pushed for the win. The team had to work incredibly hard."
Second-Half Adjustments
"The players who attack spaces started the match. With Melendo and Roger, we looked to keep possession because they are technically strong. We wanted players who, besides quality and goal-scoring ability, could control the ball more."
League Standings
"I am aware of reality. I know this team has many strengths, but we are not a team that will win every match 3-0—that is not within our capabilities. Today, we faced a team that has been winning games and has strong quality. We played well in the first half, but in the second, we wanted to maintain that level but couldn’t. That’s just the reality of this competition