Omar ElHilali, Espanyol's Moroccan defender, confirmed that the team continues to trust its coach, ManoloGonzález, after the 2‑1 defeat against Racing de Santander in ElSardinero. The player stressed that the mistakes made in recent matches are attributable to the players and not to the technical direction, underlining the need for the team to maintain coherence on the field.
ElHilali described the Catalan team's performance as “good” in the first half, but noted that a lack of concentration in the second half allowed Racing to come back after taking the lead. “The coach is the first to tell us that we have to go for the second goal after scoring the first,” he explained, and accepted that the responsibility for not achieving it falls on the players.
The defender also emphasized the importance of not looking for excuses. He commented that the penalty not scored in the Racing area, after a handball by PabloRamón, could have changed the course of the match. “If it had been granted, the result would have been different,” he stated, although he maintained that the assessment of the foul should be left to the discretion of the refereeing authority.
Regarding the dynamics of the team, Omar expressed that what Espanyol needs is a victory that breaks the bad streak of the last few days. He reiterated that, within the locker room, support for the coach is firm and that the club must work on cohesion and discipline to improve its performance. The player concluded that, despite the defeat, confidence in ManoloGonzález remains intact and that the team is preparing to face the next games with renewed determination.