Funes warns Málaga: “we can’t look back” vs Real Sociedad

Málaga head into next Sunday’s match at Real Sociedad looking to build on the momentum they found in the second half against Espanyol. This Friday, in a news conference at Martiricos, coach Funes stressed the need to move forward: “We can’t look back. We have to keep that energy.”

Learning from the Espanyol game

Funes said the point against Espanyol served as a lift because, after the break, “we got the reward and we were much better than Espanyol in the second half.” He also pointed to a “very good week of training” and expects that rhythm to carry over to the Real Sociedad clash.

The injury and the tactical idea

The main setback is Juan Cruz, who suffered a recurrence: “He’s had a relapse. Let’s see how he evolves; he won’t be in the squad for Sunday.” On the plus side, Jens Cajuste is back available after a good training week and “will be there” vs Real Sociedad. Funes also singled out defensive transitions: “Our mistakes were what condemned us.” For the starting XI, he didn’t rule out “two forwards from the start” and highlighted that substitutions vs Espanyol “played a crucial role.” He warned Real Sociedad are a demanding opponent, capable of pressuring and controlling matches even away from home.