Corberán juggles central defensive headache ahead of Espanyol clash
Valencia boss carefully managing Copete's fitness while testing Comert and keeping Pepelu as emergency centre-back option for Saturday's match at Mestalla.
Valencia’s gaffer Carlos Corberán is walking a tightrope with his central defensive options as Los Che prepare for Saturday’s La Liga encounter with Espanyol at Mestalla.
Defensive Crisis Deepens
With Diakhaby and Tárrega both in the treatment room, Corberán’s options at the heart of defence are looking thinner than my wallet after a night on the Ramsgate. The situation’s particularly dire since Diakhaby’s long-term injury has seen him removed from the registered squad entirely.
Copete, who’s been in proper decent nick recently, trained partially with the group on Thursday for the first time this week. However, he couldn’t complete the session due to lingering discomfort from a knock. The club insists this limited participation was planned beforehand to avoid any unnecessary risks with the left-footed defender.
The Swiss Option
Eray Comert represents another potential solution, though his relationship with the gaffer seems about as warm as a January dip in the Thames. Corberán reportedly wanted the Swiss international shipped out during the summer transfer window, which explains why he’s barely featured this season.
The defender’s availability has been a proper rollercoaster recently. Against Getafe, he made the bench and appeared in the official teamsheet, but couldn’t actually play due to discomfort reported on the morning of the match. Corberán later explained this “error in the squad list” and clarified that Comert’s issue wasn’t with his hamstrings but his hip, affecting blood flow to the hamstring tendon.
The good news is Comert completed Thursday’s training session, suggesting he might be available for the Espanyol clash if no further setbacks occur.
The Pepelu Experiment
Corberán continues keeping the Pepelu centre-back option in his back pocket. The midfielder has been filling in at central defence during training sessions and was pressed into emergency service against Getafe last Sunday. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s had to do a shift at the back, having previously played there in a pinch.
Youth vs Experience
Young Alejandro Panach (born 2006) represents the final option. The academy product was on the bench at the Coliseum, but Corberán opted for the experience of Pepelu playing out of position rather than throwing the youngster into the deep end.
With Saturday’s 16:30 kickoff approaching rapidly, Corberán is measuring training sessions down to the minute as he weighs up which combination will give him the best chance against Los Pericos.