Orta bullish on winter transfers: 'We've got a better squad now'
Valladolid's sporting director addresses transfer window success, relegation concerns, and controversial refereeing decisions after unveiling new signings.
Valladolid’s sporting director Victor Orta remains optimistic despite the club’s precarious position in the Segunda División, insisting the January transfer window has strengthened the squad.
Winter window brings fresh faces
With six arrivals and five departures during the January transfer window, Orta took the opportunity during the presentation of Valladolid’s latest signings, Clerc and Michelin, to share his positive assessment of the club’s business.
“The reinforcements have come to add value. I believe we have a better squad than we had on January 1st,” Orta declared, showing faith in the club’s transfer strategy despite their concerning league position.
Relegation concerns acknowledged
The Madrid-born director didn’t shy away from addressing Valladolid’s troubling proximity to the Primera RFEF relegation zone, showing a proper bit of honesty rather than the usual PR waffle you get from club brass.
“We’re worried, there’s no turning our backs on reality,” Orta admitted. “We’re putting in all our effort, but if it’s not enough, we all need to give much more, myself first. We’re exceptional professionals, we’re working our socks off to bring out the best, but it’s not delivering.”
He added that the issue isn’t about squad quality or depth but rather about competitive mentality and resilience when facing setbacks.
Referee controversy
Orta didn’t mince his words when discussing the controversial red card shown to Juric that heavily influenced their defeat in Córdoba:
“It wasn’t even a foul. We’ve appealed with video evidence. With VAR, such a blatant error is unforgivable.”
However, the sporting director was quick to apologize for his post-match confrontation with referee Pérez Hernández, which was noted in the match report. “I apologize to the refereeing collective for my comments. It was a moment of frustration,” he conceded.
In response to recent officiating decisions, Valladolid have officially requested a formal meeting with the Spanish Refereeing Committee (CTA) to express their concerns about certain calls in recent matches.
With the transfer window closed and new players integrated, all eyes now turn to whether these changes can help steer the club away from the drop zone in the coming weeks.