José Alberto backs Manex Lozano's 'selfish' decision against Barça
Racing Santander boss defends his young forward after missed opportunity in Copa del Rey clash, praising his winning mentality despite social media criticism.
Racing Santander put in a stellar performance against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey, nearly forcing extra time before ultimately falling 2-0 to the Catalan giants. Manager José Alberto has now come out fighting for on-loan striker Manex Lozano after the youngster faced criticism for a key late-game decision.
The controversial moment
With Racing trailing 1-0 in stoppage time, Lozano found himself one-on-one with Barça keeper Joan García. Rather than squaring to teammate Andrés Martín who appeared to have a better shooting angle, the Athletic Club loanee opted to go for glory himself.
García produced a stunning save to deny Lozano, and moments later Lamine Yamal punished Racing with Barça’s second goal to kill the tie.
This sequence prompted considerable backlash on social media, with many supporters questioning why Lozano didn’t pass to his better-positioned teammate.
Boss backs his boy
José Alberto was having none of it, firmly defending his young forward’s decision-making:
“I’m impressed with Manex’s personality and ambition to take responsibility,” the Racing gaffer explained. “He’s got a winner’s mentality - exactly the type of player I want in my team.”
The manager also addressed the social media pile-on: “Unfortunately, criticising others is part of today’s society. I’ve spoken with him and he’s doing fine, with the full support of everyone at the club.”
Instant impact
Lozano only arrived on loan from Athletic Club last Saturday morning, making an immediate impression by scoring on his debut against Zaragoza that same evening.
Despite the Copa controversy, all signs point to José Alberto giving the young forward plenty of minutes in the second half of the season. The boss clearly values Lozano’s attacking instincts and willingness to take risks in the final third.
Racing will hope to channel their impressive cup performance against Barcelona into their Segunda División campaign, where they’re battling to climb the table.