Alessio Lisci: “If One Team Deserved to Win, It Was Us”

Osasuna head coach Alessio Lisci said his team deserved more after drawing 2-2 with Villarreal on Saturday at El Sadar.

“If one team deserved to win, it was us,” Lisci said in his postmatch press conference.

Osasuna dominated large spells of the game, particularly in the first half. “We were very good in the first half, and we started the second half well too,” Lisci said. “We had a chance through [midfielder Jon] Moncayola to make it 3-1. Then between the 60th and 70th minute they were better and pushed us back, but we were controlling the game well.”

Lisci pointed out that Villarreal created little danger apart from a long-range effort that required an outstanding save from goalkeeper Sergio Herrera. “That chance came from a foul on Moncayola,” he added. “They weren’t generating much.”

The Osasuna coach lamented conceding again from a set piece. “The corner comes from a moment of naivety on our part. We didn’t have much height, and they were bigger than us today,” he said. “We’re paying for that on set pieces, but there are no excuses. We have to keep working on it because we can’t afford to concede one or two goals per game from dead balls.”

Despite the late setback, Lisci underlined the positives. “There are many good things to take from this match,” he said. “We were playing against a team with a very high level, 22 players of top quality. It was a very difficult game.”

Lisci admitted the draw left mixed feelings. “Before the match, it’s a point you would be very happy with. But given how the game unfolded, when you’re leading, it leaves a bitter taste,” he said. “Still, we have to value the quality of the opponent.”

Villarreal, Lisci noted, have not lost to any team outside European competition this season. “That’s no coincidence,” he said. “We controlled them very well, and we never felt overwhelmed. That’s important in matches of this level, against very good players.”

Looking ahead, Lisci stressed the importance of momentum. “We want to win every game, and today we wanted to win because of how it played out,” he said. “But we’re unbeaten in three matches, and in January we’ve only lost once — a game I don’t think we deserved to lose. The trend is positive.”

Asked about the refereeing, Lisci expressed his disagreement with some decisions, particularly the penalty awarded to Villarreal. “The attacker was very clever and left his leg in,” he said. “There is contact, but if the referee doesn’t give it, VAR shouldn’t intervene.”

However, Lisci was clear that the officials were not responsible for the result. “The corner for the equalizer is not the referee’s fault,” he said. “Honestly, I didn’t like his performance very much, but he’s still a very good referee, and I don’t think his mistakes are the reason we didn’t win.”