Argentine coach Martín Anselmi enthusiastically celebrated Elche's 3‑0 victory over Rayo Vallecano, and highlighted that the team remained focused despite the unusual atmosphere of the stadium. In the press conference after the victory, Anselmi stressed that the result was due to the tactical intelligence and the ability of his squad to “understand the game” at all times.
The context of the match was complicated. The back of the Vallecas stadium remained closed after the incidents that occurred in the previous match against Athletic Club, which reduced the number of fans present. Anselmi commented that, although the environment was different, the team managed to isolate itself from the external noise and focus on the task of winning. "The field, although the back was not enabled, had a soccer atmosphere. Those outside do not play and all the noise is noise. I don't know if it helps or hurts, but we try to isolate ourselves," he explained.
Regarding strategy, Anselmi recalled that Rayo Vallecano is a “vertical, direct team with very fast players.” For this reason, Elche had to organize itself in a complete and disciplined manner. “We know that Rayo has very fast players, they are a vertical, direct team, and that we had to play a very complete game, which is what happened,” he stated. The key, according to the coach, was to work without looking for “magic” or “strange transformation” in performance.
The coach also spoke about the philosophy he leads the club. "When we arrive at the club, the most forceful message is something we inherited. The second message is to invite them to be better and that is why there is not a day or video that ends with the message of being better. And capitalizing on it is being better with points. If we make more points than last season it means we are better," he said. Anselmi added that, although the data does not always reflect what we want to see, the objective is still to improve the position in the table and get more points.
With this victory, Elche advances in the fight to remain in the First Division and consolidates the confidence of its coach in the direction he has imposed. The next challenge will be to maintain the focus and discipline that have led the team to overcome the surrounding noise and continue accumulating positive results throughout the season.