Elche coach Anselmi demanded that the team maintain the level shown in some matches during the first four rounds, reduce careless errors, and strive to defeat Athletic Bilbao away this Saturday.

Anselmi firmly denied that Elche has defensive problems. He said: "When we organize our defense well, we don't face serious goal threats. Our defense is not the problem; there are no issues with our defense." Elche has conceded 12 goals in the first four rounds of the 2026-2027 season.

Anselmi also confirmed that Siago de Santiago is the only injured player before the team travels to Bilbao. Elche's final training session this week was held behind closed doors at the Manuel Martínez Valero stadium on Friday. The coach was unwilling to reveal possible changes to the starting lineup but confirmed that the goalkeeper position would remain unchanged.

Anselmi also dismissed speculation about Federico Redondo leaving Elche for Boca Juniors in the near term. He stated: "I only just learned of this interest." Anselmi praised the midfielder's attitude. In the opening matches, Redondo played as a makeshift defender, although his importance in the team's plans has diminished in recent weeks.

Anselmi said: "We trained very well this week, and the players showed me their desire to play a good match at San Mamés. We focused on areas that need improvement, working to get closer to the team we want to be, which must be built game by game. Now, we must first overcome ourselves, because we've proven that as long as we maintain our presence and stability in the game, we can perform at the level we should."

Regarding the goalkeeper situation, Anselmi said: "We have great confidence in our current goalkeepers. We know Dituro's experience and credentials. Iturbe also proved during preseason that he meets our standards. He can play at any time, but we cannot overlook Dituro's contribution in the first two games. It would be unfair to replace him now. We know his professionalism; he trains very hard, and I believe now is the time to support him."

Anselmi said: "We haven't picked up many points in these four games. Off the field, this might create noise and tension, but as a coach, my job is to do something different—to correct problems as much as possible. Except for the Barcelona match, we won all the second halves but didn't win any first halves. Careless errors forced us to chase the score, but this also shows that no opponent completely dominated us. The season is still long, and I am very clear that as long as we want to, we have the ability to hurt our opponents. We must remain calm, because this composure will allow us to compete as we should and reduce these kinds of errors. The players train very hard, and I also see positive attitudes from everyone at this club. I understand there will be outside pressure, but good things will come. Our work will be reflected on the field. When will it happen? I don't have a crystal ball, but I hope it's tomorrow."

Regarding defense, Anselmi said: "It's too easy to talk about defensive mistakes. When we organize our defense well, we don't face serious goal threats. Our defense is not the problem; there are no issues with our defense. We are a team that wants to control the game, and this also puts pressure on us during transitions, but we didn't pay the price for it in the last game. I think the key is to always stay in the game and avoid these careless errors. Lomonaco is constantly improving, but I don't want to talk about individuals."

Looking ahead to the Athletic Bilbao match, Anselmi said: "Everyone knows how strong Athletic Bilbao is. They will try to implement their style of play and also have excellent individual quality. More than ever, we need to stay focused, know how to play, stay compact, endure the phases of the game we must endure, and hurt them when we have the ball. That's our characteristic; we won't change. Athletic Bilbao is strong at home, but we cannot be affected by external noise, because it's 11 against 11 on the field."

Regarding tactical systems, Anselmi said: "When you have different types of players, you can use different tactical systems. When you have possession, the system is actually not that rigid. Ultimately, in attack, the system is not that rigid, because it's difficult to play pure positional football in modern football; if you are too rigid positionally, you create too much predictability for your opponents. You must find an advantage from your positioning. In defense, the system must be stricter, as that brings order. We can use full-backs and wingers, or wing-backs, and this flexibility allows us to make tactical adjustments when needed."

Anselmi said: "I know the club has great confidence in me. I am very happy here; Elche and this city are my life. I live in the city, my children go to school here, and I spend a lot of time at the Martínez Valero stadium. I didn't come to Elche for a short stint; I am clear about that. I want to stay here for a long time. The fans I meet on the street also make me feel at home."

Regarding Federico Redondo, Anselmi said: "For me, he is very important and has performed very well. He is very competitive. Both on and off the field, he conveys the desire to win and the excitement of being part of this team. So I don't think he will go to Argentina in the short term."

Anselmi also recalled Athletic Bilbao's experience in the 2012 Copa del Rey final against Pep Guardiola's Barcelona. He said he had been following Marcelo Bielsa's Athletic Bilbao at the time because the team's playing style was very compelling, and he remembered the classic match at Old Trafford. A friend invited him to watch the final live, but he didn't have money at the time, so he quickly sold the motorcycle that had caused him many problems and used the money to travel to the Vicente Calderón stadium to watch the final. Anselmi called it a very meaningful experience.

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