Carlos Martínez: "I'm sure it's going to turn out okay"

C.D. Leganés head coach Carlos Martínez addressed the media this Friday in a press conference ahead of the club's high-stakes season finale this Sunday (21:00 CET) against C.D. Mirandés at the Ontime Butarque Stadium, corresponding to the final matchday (42) of LALIGA HYPERMOTION.

The returning manager assessed the current situation and the upcoming crucial fixture as follows:

Absentees: "Leiva and Jorge Sáenz. We have a few doubts, but everyone is training and doing everything they can to push through. I believe we will have everyone else available."

State of the team: "This was a bit unexpected, but beyond that, the main goal is to find a mental spark. You always want more time, but there's no point in dwelling on it. The time is what it is, and the message to prepare for this match is very clear: it boils down to winning. We haven't been able to work much on the pitch, but we have refreshed everyone's minds to get the squad activated. We need to execute a very clear idea, no matter what."

Importance of the match: "It is crucial because relegation would be a step backward and highly detrimental for an established club. We trust that it won't happen; we are pushing that thought out of our minds because we believe we are capable of getting the job done, finishing the season with joy for everyone, and then preparing for a good upcoming season. We are aware of the stakes, but we are steering the focus exactly where we want it."

Involvement of the club and city: "When you find yourself in a situation like this, fear is the natural feeling. Coming in from the outside, I have all my energy available and it has spread to everyone. The players are fully focused on the fact that we will achieve our objective on Sunday."

His arrival: "We spoke on Monday, they presented the possibility to me, and I didn't think twice. We had to sort things out with the Saudi Arabian Federation, which provided all the facilities and helped make everything easier. We had to accelerate things quickly to travel by Tuesday. It’s a difficult situation, but I am convinced it will turn out well."

Cissé: "He is going to have a great game; he is eager to say goodbye with a strong performance. There are special moments—he was eager to help the reserve team in his day, and now he is one of our key reference points."

Match preparation: "The emotional aspect is very important. Beyond preparing your tactical idea, the most crucial part is choosing the players who are truly ready. They are going to make it difficult for me because the week has been very good and everyone is rowing in the same direction. It’s easy for a match like this to become chaotic due to the needs of both teams, but we are playing at home and we can't wait for kick-off."

Players he already knows: "I am going to lean on everyone. It is vital that every player contributes. Some have more weight than others, with different personalities, but every single one of them will be decisive."

Message to the fans: "I am just one of them. It’s my turn to be in a more relevant role, but they are fundamental. They have always been characterized by their loyalty; Butarque is always an example in terms of behavior and backing the team. It has been a very difficult year for everyone, but we have our final ahead, and the important thing is that they help us as soon as we give them reasons to be right there with us."

Lifting the squad's spirits: "I expect them to be well. The sensations are very good. They see the opportunity to win and save themselves, but we depend entirely on ourselves. We are with our people and we are only thinking about winning. We hold all the cards, though this is football. The mentality is to go out and win from the very first minute; we are not going to speculate. We will play with cool heads, of course, but with a winning mentality."

Analyzing the season: "I must have watched 36 matches live. I am a Lega fan; I have followed the team closely. I know everyone because I've practically followed the entire season from the outside."

Believing: "We are Lega. We are a great team. Football sometimes takes you through moments where luck is missing, results don't follow, and projects suffer. When you see yourself down there and expectations were high, your mentality shifts—you start feeling less important and walking through life a bit sadder. That is exactly what we want to change."

Thinking about survival: "I have 100% hope. We are all convinced. A thousand things can happen, but we have to erase everything that came before. Nobody is hiding; things went wrong and we are in this situation. For me, our situation is ideal—I prefer it over Mirandés'. We are at home, with our fans, with our players dialed in, and a win secures it for us."

Boost in morale: "I want to think so. Things go better when you are happy and when you believe it’s going to turn out well. Football is not an exact science, but we have to earn it, facing the match with the right mentality and getting the crowd involved. We have plenty of capacity and more than enough quality in these players to win the match."

Personal feelings: "The first good feeling came when they called me and believed I could do something for the club in such a complicated situation. I feel proud because, on top of everything, I am a fan of this club. I hope we are capable of achieving it."

C.D. Mirandés: "Everything is analyzed. We know them; they are a team that had an incredible season last year, but they changed a lot of players, and it's tough to maintain continuity. A shift in mentality is what has driven them lately, and they are going to come here giving it everything. They will be very difficult to beat. The club achieved promotion at their stadium in the past, and hopefully, we can secure our survival against them now. Total respect to them; they will fight to the death, and I expect us to defend what is ours and succeed."

First meeting with the players: "Words were redundant. We are all aware of the situation; they know what is in front of them. It's about talking less, working efficiently, and starting to shed that pressure. The more we do to try and win, the easier it will be to achieve it. We just have to compete in the match and nothing else. These are proven players, and what needs to change is the mentality."

Experience in these scenarios: "Experience helps you in the sense that it keeps you calm. You can play your best game and have it go wrong, or vice versa, but I do believe that on a mental level, you have to seize the initiative and have conviction. We are not a bad team; certain circumstances occurred and here we are, period. But we have many factors in our favor to win the match."

The process of signing: "Andrés called me, and afterward I spoke with Martín, Broto, Eduardo, and Jeff. Everyone at the club made me feel wanted. They have all helped me and provided valuable information."

Shifting focus: "We have to be responsible. What we need to do is remove that fear and think only about winning. It's easy to talk about changing the mentality, but we can win this match and we have the capacity to do so. We have the entire city behind us and a very high-level squad."

Tactical idea: "I have the starting eleven clear in my mind, barring a final look at them, and the clear idea is to go out to win."

Intentions of staying beyond Sunday: "I am here for one match; everything else will be seen later."

Friendship with Postigo (Mirandés player): "We haven't spoken. We are friends, but it's best to avoid any speculation. We will talk on Sunday."