2025 began for Real Valladolid as 2024 ended. Conceding three goals and showing the worst possible side of a team that is supposed to be in the First Division. In both matches, already under the command of Diego Cocca, the Pucelanos demonstrated an inferiority and a worrying apathy. It doesn’t matter if it’s the European Girona or the humble Ourense, all the teams score against this Pucela, all the teams beat them. The Argentine coach who works 24/7 and awaits reinforcements to save the Blanquivioleta team also has to fight against that feeling, but it would be better for him to entrust himself to the Almighty. The Blanquivioleta fans attend everything that happens between perplexed and disgusted and will demonstrate it this afternoon, at 4:15 p.m. in the duel against Betis, who also needs the three points to continue looking to Europe (follow the game live on As.com).
The feeling of instability and abandonment suffered by the club. With a major shareholder and president, Ronaldo Nazário, wanting to sell and leave the club, with a strangely delicate economic situation, Real Valladolid is planning the sale of its best player, Raúl Moro, in this winter transfer window to Ajax. This possible transaction, plus the discomfort in the winger’s knee, make it difficult to think that he can play in the duel against Betis. A very important meeting for those who still dream of permanence. It is not the same to finish the first round with 12 points as with 15. They are miserable numbers, but they can separate the paths to hell and hope.
Diego Cocca does not give many clues about what he intends to do with the team beyond look for a “balance” that gives an identity to the team. In Spanish: try to get the team to defend as a unit (they are the team with the most goals in the First Division) and attack in the same way (the Pucelanos are the second least scoring team) without splitting. We will have to see where the Argentine comes out among the affected players, those who want to leave and those that the club wants to remove. The first doubt arises in the goal, since H played again in the Cupa, who was injured. The Estonian’s ownership in the KO tournament may perhaps lead to André Ferreira’s entry into the eleven. There are also doubts with the presence of Juric, due to injury, and Morofor being touched and about to leave. That leaves the coach with few alternatives for the winger position, where he does not have, a priori, Machis or Kenedy. Those who will return to the center of the defense are Juma and Javi Sánchez. The one from Sierra Leone, with the more than possible departure of Moro, will become the mast to cling to, the greatest hope for the white and purple team.
He BetisFor its part, it wants to cling to the European zone and to do so he is obliged to maintain the fight with his competitors in this farewell to the first round. And they do it at home, where they have only won two of their nine games, but with better feelings after having beaten Villarreal, in the League, and Huesca in the Cup, precisely, away from Villamarín.
Pellegrini will put everything he has on stage, with Isco and Lo Celso at the helm and without looking askance at the Copa del Rey match against Barcelona next week. The return of Bartra gives more strength to the defense while the club crosses its fingers so that Vitor Roque sharpens his aim, the great deficit of the green and white team. All this without Rui Silva, Betis’ starting goalkeeper who is on his way to Lisbon to sign with Sporting.
DATA FOR THE PREVIEW
KEYS
A drain. Real Valladolid concedes more than two goals per game and that makes the matches very complicated. Improvement must come from defending better.
Lack of effectiveness. Pellegrini’s biggest concern is that his team is one of the least profitable in all of Europe.
Warm atmosphere. If low temperatures are expected in the atmosphere, things will be hot in the stands due to the latest results, the team’s classification and the upcoming sale of Moro.
Untouchables. Both Isco and Lo Celso are key for the Betis coach because the green and white football is born from the three-quarter zone.
-WHAT’S NEXT
Marcos André. The Brazilian striker is the only one who is fully fit to play and Pucelana’s options will depend a lot on his performance and effectiveness.
Isco. The man from Malaga is progressing physically and is once again the soul of the team at a creative and leadership level. Everything happens through him.
UP AND DOWN
In it Real Valladolid Latasa cannot be part of the game, suspended, while there are doubts about the presence in the eleven of Hein, Juric and Moro, with discomfort, although the latter could also be reserved since he is close to leaving for Ajax.
In it Betis Bartra returns after putting aside his discomfort, while Marc Roca, Bellerín, Fornals, William Carvalho and Chimy Ávila cannot be in the game, who miss the game.
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