Funes urges Málaga to look ahead before Real Sociedad clash

“We can’t keep looking back,” Funes said on Friday at his press conference in Martiricos. Málaga face Real Sociedad on Sunday, aiming to carry forward the positive signs from the second half against Espanyol. The coach said that points dropped in the opening rounds must not distract his team from what lies ahead.

Funes believes the draw gave his squad a lift. “We managed to get our reward and were far superior to Espanyol in the second half,” he said, also praising his players’ response when adversity struck. He described the training week as “very good” and hopes that momentum will continue against Real Sociedad.

The coach singled out a specific area for improvement: defensive transitions, which have been hurting Málaga. His team must protect the ball better and avoid turnovers that allow opponents to break forward. Funes qualified his assessment of the Espanyol match, however, saying that the opposition had not clearly taken control of the game.

The line-up could also change. Asked whether he might start with two strikers, Funes did not rule out the possibility, calling it “very likely”. He also stressed the value of players coming off the bench, pointing to the “decisive” role of the substitutes against Espanyol.

In his view, Sunday’s opponents demand particular care. Funes said Real Sociedad are difficult to find weaknesses in and described them as a demanding side despite their involvement in European competition. He believes the team managed by Pellegrino Matarazzo has rediscovered its rhythm and can control play through the middle as well as out wide. They can also, he warned, string together spells of possession that punish opponents, even away from home.

Funes acknowledges that Málaga deserved more in some matches, but insists those regrets must not weigh on the next fixture. The priority, he said, is to stay true to the team’s approach and maintain the energy shown recently.