Valencia's Copa del Rey prep hits snag as Tárrega and Gayá miss training
Carlos Corberán plans squad rotation between Copa del Rey and La Liga fixtures with key defenders expected to be rested against Burgos.
Valencia face a proper scheduling nightmare as they juggle Copa del Rey and La Liga commitments this week, with defenders César Tárrega and José Luis Gayá sitting out Tuesday’s training session.
Injury concerns and load management
Corberán’s side are preparing for Thursday’s Copa clash against Burgos at El Plantío (21:00 kickoff) without two key defenders. Both Tárrega and Gayá missed Tuesday’s training session due to load management concerns, with the gaffer likely saving them for Sunday’s league fixture against Getafe at the Coliseum.
The squad’s already looking thinner than Kate Moss on a diet with three players definitely ruled out through injury:
- Thierry Rendall
- Agirrezabala
- Diakhaby
With the treatment room getting busier than Piccadilly Circus at rush hour, Valencia will need to call up players from their B team to fill out the squad – at least until any January reinforcements arrive through the door.
Fixture congestion complaints
Valencia sources reveal the club has lodged complaints about this week’s fixture schedule, which leaves them with just 63 hours between Thursday night’s cup tie (ending around 23:00, assuming no extra time) and Sunday’s 14:00 kickoff against Getafe.
The travel schedule is proper brutal too. The team will:
- Fly to Burgos on Thursday for the Copa match
- Stay overnight in Burgos
- Return Friday for recovery training at their sports city
- Train again Saturday before traveling to Getafe that evening
This tight turnaround leaves Corberán with little choice but to field almost completely different starting XIs for the two fixtures. The manager’s clearly prioritizing having his players in top nick for the Getafe match, which is known to be physically demanding.
With the fixtures coming thick and fast, Valencia’s depth will be severely tested in what could be a defining week for their ambitions in both competitions.