Omar: "I wouldn't understand Manolo González being sacked"

Espanyol defender Omar El Hilali backs manager Manolo González after Racing defeat, saying players must take responsibility for poor performances.

Espanyol's squad has closed ranks around manager Manolo González following their loss to Racing. Defender and captain Omar El Hilali defended his coach in the mixed zone, stating clearly: "I wouldn't understand the sacking of Manolo."

El Hilali argued that while the team's form is poor, the responsibility lies with the players rather than the manager. "There are things that aren't down to the coach but to us players," he said. "We know his capacity. When we go ahead, we don't know how to kill the game. After Edu Expósito's goal, we automatically drop deep and it ends up destroying us."

The captain acknowledged the team's struggles but insisted a single victory could turn the tide. "With a win, everything would change. When you're in a difficult dynamic, everything seems to go wrong," El Hilali said. He also referenced a controversial VAR decision that disallowed a penalty in the first half, suggesting it could have altered the outcome, though he stopped short of using it as an excuse.