Jagoba Arrasate has called for greater defensive solidity and offensive improvement from his Osasuna side ahead of Monday's tough trip to face Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. The Rojillo boss, whose team sits 12th with 11 points, wants to see a competitive version away from home following their win over Racing.

"I am eager to see the team play on the road against an opponent in good form," Arrasate explained in his pre-match press conference. "After last week’s win and a week of training, we are excited about tomorrow’s match". The manager valued the 2-0 victory against Racing Santander on October 18th but warned against complacency.

Arrasate insisted the squad has room for improvement in every area. "Winning brings joy, but you have to analyze it objectively. We have studied our training sessions, watched film, and know where we are coming from." he stated. He asked for a greater goalscoring contribution from the midfield to avoid relying solely on top scorer Ante Budimir, who has seven goals this season.

The away challenge

The match represents a different test for an Osasuna side with just one away win in the league this campaign. "It is a different opponent than Racing, but we want to see the same Osasuna." the coach noted. He recalled that they started well last time, were aggressive and won the ball back, something they will need to replicate in Seville. The squad has been working hard in training, averaging 90 minutes of ball work per session, to correct their issues.

Arrasate showed respect for a Sevilla side occupying sixth place. He pointed out that their three losses have come against the top three teams and that, aside from those games, their record is four wins and two draws. "They are well organized, have a good coach, and are a team that goes forward, wins duels and doesn't let you have the ball." he analysed.

Osasuna go into the match having scored 10 goals and conceded 18 this season, underlining the defensive area for improvement highlighted by their manager. The team will look to pick up points again after an inconsistent run of form (WLDLL in their last five) and move away from the lower reaches of the standings. Following the match in Seville, Osasuna's next fixture is at home against Celta Vigo next Sunday.

Kick-off at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán is scheduled for 9 p.m. CET on Monday.

First reported at osasuna.es