Igor Oca: "We went head-to-head with the leader, but we fell short"

C.D. Leganés head coach Igor Oca appeared in a press conference following the match between the "pepinero" side and Real Racing Club at the Ontime Butarque Stadium, corresponding to matchday 39 of LALIGA HYPERMOTION, which ended in a 1-2 away victory.

The Blue and Whites' coach assessed what happened during the ninety minutes as follows:

Match assessment: "It’s hard to put things in context without talking about the penalty situation. It’s very tough, given our current situation and the hard work of the players."

The 1-2 penalty: "I’ve watched it eighteen times and I don’t see contact anywhere; the only possibility of contact is outside the area. It’s terrible, because of how it happened and the five-minute review. They must have focused on the potential offside and not on anything else. I’ll go further: in the first half, they added forty seconds more, and in the second they didn't, even after being warned. Beyond that, we know we have to do things better. We had chances, we pushed from the 1st minute until the end, but we fell short. Also because of the penalty situation, which I just don’t understand."

Lack of dominance: "The opponent leads you into those chaotic situations. They manage everything very well and things are going great for them, so it’s normal to lack control at times. In the second half, we created more than they did, we were right there, and in the end, it wasn't enough because of that goal. I find it unfair that it was decided by such an unclear situation. We have to keep moving forward; it was an even match and we have to keep going."

Mood: "These situations have a negative impact that we have to manage. We have three games left—two at home and one away. We have enough experience to anchor ourselves in that. We competed against the league leaders; these are complicated matches. Regardless of how difficult the zero points at Riazor and today were, it’s clear that we’ve been competitive and stayed in the games. Against Huesca, we have to take that definitive step."

Next match: "We accept the situation. The reality is that we should have taken that small step forward. We are all in this together and we have to focus on being positive, trusting ourselves, and ensuring that one victory next time is enough to achieve our goal."

Momentum: "We reached an eight-point gap, the highest figure of the entire season. It’s hard for us and for everyone else. We have to be strong and look at the positive things that can help us get through it. The easy thing is to look at it from a negative perspective; the strong person is the one who sees it differently. We have to arrive in good condition for Monday's game to be able to win."

Dialogue with the referee: "I haven't had a booking for a long time. I tried to get her attention and she didn't respond. Beyond that, I didn't insist."

Pulido: "I’m very happy that he could put together two matches at a high competitive level. He adds to the squad and raises our competitiveness. He tries his best not to touch Villalibre, who looks for the slightest contact, and if there is any, it’s outside. I can’t say anything to him."

The Huesca match: "It has to concern me. The competition isn't just about you, but also what the others do. We will have to solve it ourselves, as it should be, on Monday."