Raúl Guti Will Have Minutes at Elche Nine Months Later

Raúl Guti is back at Elche nine months later. It was on December 15 when he played his last minutes as a franjiverde, and now he returns stronger after overcoming a serious knee injury (fracture of the right kneecap affecting the patellar tendon). "The idea is to include Raúl Guti in the squad so that, little by little, he integrates and we can count on him; he is a midfielder who does things that few players in his position have in this category," acknowledged coach Eder Sarabia this Friday.

The return of Raúl Guti is one of the most anticipated news by the franjiverde fans and the player himself after the grim fate that awaited him. Last January, he decided to finish the season at Zaragoza, his home, and in his first minutes, he suffered a severe setback that left him out of action until now.

The Elche coach wants Guti to be important, to start from scratch at Martínez Valero, and to bring that experience and poise that is crucial in the engine room, especially in a team that wants to take the initiative and be a protagonist with the ball.

Sarabia also warned that names, club histories, or salary caps "are useless" in such a challenging category as the Second Division. "What matters is what you put on the field every day, and we will have to prove we are better to win," he said regarding the match his team will play this Sunday against Mirandés.

In this regard, Sarabia praised the trajectory of the Burgos team, unbeaten in the competition after conceding only one goal. "They are a great rival who set a clear line last year that this season's players have interpreted well," commented the Basque coach, who hoped that Elche has learned from its mistakes and can confirm its "upward" trend and materialize it into points.

Sarabia explained that overcoming such a solid defense as Mirandés' requires "patience and finding advantages with players on foot, in space, and having dribbling skills." "We don't want the match to have too many ups and downs because we like the feeling of control. It's not just about creating chances but also being prepared and activated after losses," he explained.

The Basque coach insisted on the need to "take care of the smallest details," especially in set-piece situations, and wished for his team to adopt the mentality of celebrating both an assist and a "defensive action."

Finally, Elche's coach did not reveal whether he would continue with forward Mourad after his goal last matchday but did praise his "professionalism and mentality."