After achieving that tie in the final minutes, Leganés coach Borja Jiménez shared his thoughts on the draw against Alavés – a direct rival for permanence. What struck him was the fans’ reaction, particularly the whistles aimed at Javi Hernández, who was surpassed by Carlos Vicente in several actions.
Assessing the game
Looking back, Jiménez felt that with the goal at the end, it was a point won, but he couldn’t help but think about what could’ve been if they had maintained their 2-1 lead. At that point, they had the game under control, with a clear scoring opportunity just before the break. The penalty at the start of the second half was a tough pill to swallow, mentally speaking. Despite being down 2-3, they were creating chances, and in the end, he’s choosing to focus on the positives from a game they seemed to have lost just five minutes from the end.
VAR controversy
One thing that didn’t sit well with Jiménez was the time spent reviewing plays on the VAR. It seemed like an eternity, and every time they went to the VAR, anything could happen. The feeling was that the three penalties were clear-cut, so why spend so much time deliberating? There were several other plays like Munir’s action throughout the game that they need to manage better.
Rooms for improvement
Jiménez pinpointed specific areas where they could improve, like Jordan’s goal. What bothered him was that the shot wasn’t covered, which he believes comes down to living the game, not just positioning. If their best player was on the front, what would happen? The ball would likely pass him. This, to Jiménez, highlighted a significant margin for improvement, especially for a team like theirs.
Fan reaction and team unity
He also addressed the whistle aimed at Javi Hernández, saying he didn’t think Javi had made a bad move, as he was on the team’s line. Instead, Jiménez emphasized the need to support Javi and all their players. After all, these are the players who can save them, like Javi potentially scoring a crucial goal on Valladolid Day. The message was clear: they need to put everything into perspective and fans should support their players first.