Alessio Lisci, the coach of Osasuna, has described their upcoming match against RCD Mallorca as potentially ‘transcendent’. He stressed the importance of the match, especially after their narrow defeat at Mestalla. Lisci stated, “The match, more than important, is very important.”
He added, “This match can mark a before and after in the season.”
Lisci’s Perspective on the Match Importance
Lisci believes a victory against Mallorca would be a major step towards securing their place in the league. “In case of winning tomorrow, we would be virtually saved. It would be twelve points above the relegation and the goal average in early March,” he explained. He also urged caution, saying, “It should not be taken for granted, it is very important.”
Despite the high stakes, Lisci stopped short of calling it a ‘final’. His reasoning was that “finals you either lose or win and there is the option of a draw”, although he conceded that “it is what comes closest to a final”.
Lisci wants the fans to create a strong atmosphere. He stated, “I want to ask the fans to have the same atmosphere as against Real Madrid, which I know is not easy, but we all have to be with the same mentality of getting it out as it is and being plugged in”.
Aimar Oroz’s Return to the Squad
The return of Aimar Oroz is a boost for Osasuna. Lisci acknowledged Oroz’s importance to the team, admitting, “We were not able to solve his absence, as happened against Villarreal. We hope he is always there and it is important to recover him, he is very important.” He further added, “He is one more and, only by mathematics, we have more bench at our disposal.”
Acknowledging the Opponent
Lisci acknowledged the challenge in preparing for the match due to the recent appointment of Martín Demichelis as Mallorca’s new coach. However, he stated, “We know them very well and, in addition, we have seen and studied many games of their new coach in his previous teams, but it does not mean anything because they are very different.” Lisci concluded, “For the plan, we have gone to patterns that work, very marked and we think they are going to continue to exist.”
Lisci doesn’t want to focus on Osasuna’s home form. He didn’t like the fact that it was mentioned that they had gone six games without losing at home because “positive statistics, sooner or later, break.” He added, “We have to give our best version because the rivals come with another mentality to El Sadar, they know it is a difficult match.”
Lisci feels the match against Mallorca could be a turning point in Osasuna’s season.