Marti Back for the Blackburn Game......
Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2025 6:18 pm
From the Club....
'MARTÍ Cifuentes will be back in the dugout for QPR on Tuesday night and he wants his squad to show their angry
side when they host Blackburn Rovers at MATRADE Loftus Road.
The R’s head coach missed Saturday’s trip to Millwall owing to illness, but he is on the road to recovery and keen
to see his side get back on track following recent losses.
“I feel much better now than I felt a couple of days ago,” he said. “I am not 100 percent yet, but much, much better.”
Cifuentes watched QPR’s 2-1 loss to the Lions on a stream and he admitted it wasn’t something he enjoyed doing.
“It was a terrible experience to watch the game from home but I was constantly in touch with the bench, through
Kevin (Betsy) especially,” he explained.
“I was as well in touch with the analyst guys, to pick the right clips to share at half-time. I was from distance involved
in a way, trying to help as much as I could. I can tell you it wasn’t the most pleasant experience.”
Reflecting on the performance in south London, Cifuentes said: “We agreed when we analysed the game together that
it is a game influenced by the two goals we concede, two poor goals, goals that we usually defend better.
“At the same time, I don’t have a feeling that the team played bad. It was just perhaps the last touch, the last pass
that was missing a little bit.”
Now Cifuentes wants his players to use their emotions in a positive way when they take to the pitch against Rovers.
“All the games are very big, but especially when you are after a defeat,” he said.
“I always said to the players that we need to swallow this but to make sure in the next game we show we are angry,
we don’t like to lose and this should be a boost for us, not the opposite.
“So chests out, go out and show that what we have been doing for the last months is not luck.”
Blackburn are sat in the play-offs following Friday’s 2-1 win over Preston, and the R’s chief expects a difficult
test in W12.
“They have been a very stable team this season,” said Cifuentes.
“They are good on pressing, they like to counter, they have pace at the top, they have the capacity to create
chances with a few combinations, they can be direct if needed.
“We know what to expect but they are not easy to play against and we must make sure we are at a good level.”
Cifuentes confirmed Kaddie Dembele has resumed full training and is nearing a return for the first team.
“He finished his first full session with the team today and he showed his great skills,” Martí said.
“We love him so much and to see him enjoying his football again is very good news - not only for him but also
for the team because he will be very important.”
'MARTÍ Cifuentes will be back in the dugout for QPR on Tuesday night and he wants his squad to show their angry
side when they host Blackburn Rovers at MATRADE Loftus Road.
The R’s head coach missed Saturday’s trip to Millwall owing to illness, but he is on the road to recovery and keen
to see his side get back on track following recent losses.
“I feel much better now than I felt a couple of days ago,” he said. “I am not 100 percent yet, but much, much better.”
Cifuentes watched QPR’s 2-1 loss to the Lions on a stream and he admitted it wasn’t something he enjoyed doing.
“It was a terrible experience to watch the game from home but I was constantly in touch with the bench, through
Kevin (Betsy) especially,” he explained.
“I was as well in touch with the analyst guys, to pick the right clips to share at half-time. I was from distance involved
in a way, trying to help as much as I could. I can tell you it wasn’t the most pleasant experience.”
Reflecting on the performance in south London, Cifuentes said: “We agreed when we analysed the game together that
it is a game influenced by the two goals we concede, two poor goals, goals that we usually defend better.
“At the same time, I don’t have a feeling that the team played bad. It was just perhaps the last touch, the last pass
that was missing a little bit.”
Now Cifuentes wants his players to use their emotions in a positive way when they take to the pitch against Rovers.
“All the games are very big, but especially when you are after a defeat,” he said.
“I always said to the players that we need to swallow this but to make sure in the next game we show we are angry,
we don’t like to lose and this should be a boost for us, not the opposite.
“So chests out, go out and show that what we have been doing for the last months is not luck.”
Blackburn are sat in the play-offs following Friday’s 2-1 win over Preston, and the R’s chief expects a difficult
test in W12.
“They have been a very stable team this season,” said Cifuentes.
“They are good on pressing, they like to counter, they have pace at the top, they have the capacity to create
chances with a few combinations, they can be direct if needed.
“We know what to expect but they are not easy to play against and we must make sure we are at a good level.”
Cifuentes confirmed Kaddie Dembele has resumed full training and is nearing a return for the first team.
“He finished his first full session with the team today and he showed his great skills,” Martí said.
“We love him so much and to see him enjoying his football again is very good news - not only for him but also
for the team because he will be very important.”