Last month brought four days of action that yielded three defeats and a victory born from a moment of perfect connection between Alvarito and Jean Paul. It was the only play to leave a lasting mark, with Hercules earning a 90th-minute stamp of quality that sealed the result. Lolo Escobar urged calm, yet his stern voice betrayed more concern than certainty about the team’s direction.
“I don’t care whether the opponents are above or below us; every win has the same value, three points. I came with a clear objective at a terrible moment for the club: to create options for reaching the playoffs in the final stretch, and I achieved that. I will set new targets when five games remain”, stated the blue and white coach, looking ahead with pragmatic optimism.
“Wins count the same against every opponent; the order of the table doesn’t matter”
With 30 points on the board, the road to the decisive phase is clear, and while securing promotion remains within reach, the real task is to stay focused and climb into the top five, a foundation for future success. The club inherited a strong base from Angel Rodriguez, and the current squad seems ready to build on that legacy.
This Sunday in Santa Eulalia, Alicante, the team takes the field again, facing Ebro on a surface resembling the layout of La Almozara in Zaragoza. The record on this synthetic turf has been solid—four wins and two defeats on these grounds—and while that balance is encouraging, it is not the sole source of confidence for the coach.
“I’m calm because we played a very good game despite the loss to Mestalla; we earned a lot of points for that performance”
“I’m calm, not merely because we have picked up results on artificial turf. The Mestalla match showed resilience; despite the setback, the team competed fiercely. The white team’s performance stood out—what we gained was a strong sense of our capability. The last game left a sting, yet the overall display against Valencia B was encouraging. If the remaining ten matches resemble that level, we can expect a steady accumulation of points”, he remarked, repeating his message as the squad eyes a competitive finish.
Hercules CF: An unfinished passage
“Pena Deportiva plays with intention, they control the ball and seek to dominate from the back. If I head into this match thinking only of a routine league game or a second encounter, I would be doing a disservice to the team. The pitch conditions are favorable, but their football is strong, which is why they hold a high position in the table”, he warned, emphasizing the seriousness of a clash against a rival that is performing well even when not facing obvious challenges.
“We have a squad worth believing in from now until the end; losses give others opportunities to respond on the field.”
“We have a squad worth believing in from here to the finish”, he affirmed, noting that injuries and sanctions will shape the lineup. Raúl Ruiz, Christian Cedrés, and Nico Espinosa will miss time due to injuries, reducing certain options on the right wing. Yet there are fresh chances for other players who deserve a chance to demonstrate what they can contribute.
“Every adverse condition demanded a defense that hadn’t played together before Sunday”
“Facing all the unfavorable circumstances, we built a defense that had not yet started a clean sheet together. The hours this week were dedicated to integrating new combinations, and the aim was a high-performance display against a very tough opponent. Cedrés acknowledged the challenge, leaving the decision about a potential penalty in the club’s hands, underscoring the importance of discipline and collective attitude in tough moments”, the coach explained, reflecting on the realities of building a cohesive unit under pressure.