CD Tenerife begins its second phase today with Álvaro Cervera at the helm, as he arrives on the island as the club’s third coach this season in a bid to save the Blanquiazul side from relegation, facing a formidable opponent like Osasuna.
This Saturday, CD Tenerife begins a new chapter with Álvaro Cervera, who was hired as the third coach of the season in order to save the team from a descent to the Primera Federación. His first match will be against La Liga side Osasuna in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey.
During this opening meeting, the Equatorial Guinean coach will have to start shaping the tactics he intends to implement in LaLiga Hypermotion, with nothing to lose and a lot to gain for the islanders. The main objective remains to secure their status in the second division.
Read more:
A Cup in Barbastro to Exorcise the Ghosts
Cervera admitted that the challenge against Osasuna is a bit “destabilizing”, as they continue their road map, aiming to achieve league survival with plenty of games on the horizon in January at the Heliodoro. The next match is scheduled for Tuesday against Levante, one of two games previously postponed.
Manager Blanquiazul has confirmed that he will be without his central defender Juande Rivas due to a muscle injury. He also clarified that he will not field two separate teams in the upcoming Cup and La Liga matches, meaning that some players present against Osasuna will have to play again three days later against Levante at the same venue.
Elsewhere, Osasuna travel to Tenerife (4:30 p.m. CET, LaLiga+) buoyed by their Cup ambition in a high-stakes match against a struggling opponent who is also keen to take the opportunity to eliminate a top team plan.
Read more:
Sevilla’s First Match Without Jesús Navas Against Almería
With the defeat against Athletic Club still fresh in their minds, the Rojillos squad is eager to start 2025 by progressing to the next round of a tournament that sparks passion among both management and supporters. Thus, the usual starters are expected to replace the substitutes from the previous round.
Considering their last match in Ceuta, Vicente Moreno could line up several regulars to ensure progress against the bottom team of the second division. Not playing again for a week allows the coach to call on his key players.
“It’s not about hiding anything. I want to make it clear that we are not forced to have some players participating in the Cup and others in the League. Sometimes it may seem like that, but I I try to distance myself from it, at least in my intentions,” Moreno said.
Read more:
A Luxurious Scene for Marbella Hoping for a Surprise
Osasuna ended 2024 with a home defeat against the Lions, a result which confirmed their decline in performance since the start of the League season. They have not recorded a win since November 2, which adds pressure as they cannot afford to lose tomorrow.
“We are entering 2025 with the best intentions, in a competition that we love and which, given past experiences, also pleases Osasuna. We would still be far from where we were two years ago, but to get there , we have to progress through these playoff stages,” he noted regarding the team’s feeling, just a day before the new year.
Although they are the favorites, the club is not taking anything for granted. Tenerife are the first team of significant stature the Navarrese will face in this Cup, following their 0-5 victory at Chiclana and their 2-3 victory at Ceuta.
Read more:
Huesca – Betis: The Copa takes its seriousness
Regarding the challenge of facing a team with a new coach like Álvaro Cervera, Moreno remarked: “It’s not the same. We know what he can offer, but the reality is that there is no has no history of what he did. We may encounter various formations and intentions, although we may have an idea of what to expect.”
Vicente Moreno has named 22 players for the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey: S. Herrera, Aitor Fdez., Stamatakis, Nacho Vidal, Juan Cruz, Unai García, Herrando, Areso, R. Peña, Boyomo, Abel Bretones, Catena , Torró, Moncayola, Ibáñez, Aimar, Rubén García, Moi Gómez, Iker Muñoz, Javi MC, Raúl et Budimir.
Likely lineups:
Tenerife : Edgar Badía David Rodríguez, Gayá, Rubén Alves, José León, Medrano; Waldo Rubio, Bodiger, Sergio González, Cantero; Enric Gallego.
Health: Aitor Fernandez Areso, Catena, Boyomo, Juan Cruz; Iker Muñoz Peña, Moncayola, Aimar, Rubén García; Raul.
