Valencia’s Tactical Shift Yields Positive Results in Recent Matches

Valencia has secured four points in their last two La Liga matches, largely due to the contributions of players who did not start in the initial lineup. Luis Rioja, who came on as a substitute against Betis, and Hugo Duro, who did the same against Levante, each scored vital goals that helped the team achieve a draw and a victory, respectively.

Ahead of the transfer market closure, the coach had already indicated his strategy regarding the squad’s composition. He acknowledged that he did not foresee sticking consistently to a starting eleven: “This will not be a season where I will focus on a fixed lineup. I will have players who will enable us to make decisions based on the previous match and the upcoming one.”

Indeed, until these last two games against Betis and Levante, the coach had not repeated the same starting eleven. However, in these matches, he not only fielded the same players but also implemented a tactical variation. This involved a central three-man build-up, utilizing André Almeida in a playmaking role.

The lineup consistently used by Corberán includes Agirrezabala; Thierry, Tárrega, Copete, Gayá; Pepelu, Javi Guerra; Diego López, Almeida, Danjuma; and Beltrán. In the match against Betis, with the score at 0-1, Luis Rioja was substituted in for Diego López in the 68th minute, and within 14 minutes on the field, he scored the equalizer in the 82nd minute.

In the subsequent match against Levante, Hugo Duro replaced Lucas Beltrán in the 54th minute and scored a spectacular bicycle kick in the 79th minute, securing three points for Valencia.

This trend is notable because only twice before had a substitute player significantly impacted a goal, although those instances did not affect the final score or the points earned by the team. Against Getafe, with a 2-0 lead, Ramazani entered in the 87th minute, assisting Hugo Duro in the 97th minute. Similarly, Hugo Duro, after coming off the bench against Athletic in the 70th minute for Rioja, scored in the 93rd minute for a 2-0 finish. Corberán has repeatedly emphasized in press conferences the importance of all players, whether they start or come off the bench, suggesting he has found his optimal lineup while also reinforcing the significance of the five substitution rule.