Malaga coach Funes: Our team has the ability to compete

After Malaga drew 0-0 with Levante at home, Malaga head coach Juan Funes said at the press conference that the team had already shown competitiveness and needed to remain calm.

Speaking about Malaga's two home matches at La Rosaleda ending in draws, Funes said: "We have already seen that we have the ability to compete." Malaga drew 0-0 with Levante at home on Sunday after previously drawing with Deportivo La Coruna. In the two matches, Malaga held advantages in possession and the number of entries into the opponents' penalty areas. Funes said: "Neither opponent created more chances than us. That is enough to be encouraging and allows us to keep going until the end."

Funes said that almost everyone in this team, including himself, has just arrived at this level. "They, like Malaga fans, also have a sense of uncertainty." However, he believes one positive aspect of the team's start is that the players have seen they can compete and can make opponents feel they are not superior. He also mentioned that Levante had previously beaten Betis 5-0, while Deportivo La Coruna, who failed to beat Malaga, had just won away against Villarreal.

Regarding the match against Levante, Funes said: "We controlled the game. We could have taken two points while also being dominated by Deportivo La Coruna; today we could also have been completely dominated by Levante. But what we saw was better than that. The team showed personality and controlled the game. This understanding already exists within the team. This is a marathon, and we cannot fall behind."

The Malaga coach believes the changes after the team's promotion happened very quickly. Compared with other opponents' pre-season preparations, he admitted that Malaga's preparation may not have been enough for the team to reach this point in the best possible condition. After the start of the second half, Juan Cruz was substituted due to fitness issues, and Funes said the player was suffering from calf cramps.

Funes believes the team will gradually get into match rhythm as the rounds continue. He stressed that no one should lose perspective or become anxious because of the situation. "For me, the most important thing is that although we have not won yet, I believe the team has the conditions to remain competitive."

Speaking about Malaga's second home match, Funes was generally satisfied with the team's performance. He said: "Apart from lacking enough energy at the start of the second half, the team was on top for most of the time. There were not many chances in the first half, but we created enough opportunities, especially the penalty, which could have allowed us to take the lead before the start of the second half."

Funes also said that nobody could accuse his players of not wanting to fight for victory or of stopping their efforts. He said: "I want to thank the extraordinary atmosphere created at La Rosaleda. We are looking forward to achieving our first La Liga home win, but we were unable to do it this time. I must also congratulate the opponents; they performed very well without the ball."