It takes 21 days to form a habit, they say. For seven weeks Hercules has stumbled, showing flaws and few signals that suggest control, mastery over fate. The message is clear: the world that’s drawn attention to the team must not define them. An urgent recalibration is required—speed, dynamics, energy—aiming to win three points this Sunday at Rico Pérez (17:00).
If this doesn’t happen, Hercules faces a dangerous, possibly unsolvable setback. In Alicante, the last 50 days brought a drop in arrivals and a looming threat remains. There are 28 points still up for grabs, and only three teams have scored fewer than Alicante in the previous seven dates.
Two clubs sit in critical condition, sinking overall: Mallorca B and CD Ibiza. Another, Alzira, clings to a playoff-permanence position, edging toward danger at the end of each matchday. Right now, there are about six points separating Hercules from the pack. Lolo Escobar remains out of the danger zone, but failing to wake up now could block a climb past the current top three and open the door for Saguntino Athletic, which has found strong form. This moment on the pitch is where he has earned his worst form in the last ten games.
Hercules CF | Escobar: “The press doesn’t want normality to sell breaks and failures”
Pedro Rojas
Valencia’s squad stands as the second best team in the league over the past seven days. The only one ahead of them is the leader Teruel, who has played one more game. The projection shows 14 points from 21 possible in this stretch, with only one loss, and the side remains potent up front, posing a formidable challenge to rivals who should not be underestimated.
The lack of goals, only two this time, and the stubborn difficulty in proving superiority, have fed doubts about Lolo Escobar’s Hercules. The team now seeks to meet its minimum goals for the season and push toward a top-five finish.
FIVE WEEKS LATER
César Moreno tested this Wednesday to see if he can make it to Sunday
►More than a month after a muscle injury in the Ebro field, just before the end of the first episode, César Moreno was finally tested in training today with real contact to check if a fibrillar micro-tear in the back of his thigh has healed and may return against Terrassa on Sunday. This marks the fifth week of rehabilitation, so if strength and power return after the rest day, a call-up could come soon.
The reaction of the squad after the previous manager’s dismissal faded with time, the constant shift in game ideas, and the repetition of mistakes that need solving. In the end, the new coach at Don Benito returned to the same approach, giving up the team’s only midfielder with pure creation. Sandro Toscanoto again highlighted the profile of Michel Herrero, a move that creates a mathematical balance in midfield.
It was with him first Sergio Marcos and now Jose Articles. The push to widen the midfield in the winter market continues to pay a price. Valencian and Canary Island players try to anchor the attack, but Maxi Rivero and others are kept distant from the penalty area by ball-choking constraints, making it hard to unlock defenses.
The move to advance the position and find solutions was pursued by Raul Ruiz, achieved without convincing belief, as there is little protection on the wings. The captain carries that burden, though he is not the most technical. A looming risk threatens to spread as the coach adjusts personnel and tactics. Escobar’s attackers are not drawing enough attention, but the issue is broader: the team must better capitalize its resources instead of leaving chances on the table.
Hercules will play against Lleida on Easter Sunday
►Lolo Escobar’s team will contest the 29th week of the League during the Easter break, facing Lleida at Camp d’Esports at 17:00 on Easter Sunday (April 9). A victory could ease travel and attendance if Alicante wins against Terrassa earlier in the day (18:00).