Fran Escribá warns: against Las Palmas, “you can’t go there to defend”

“Las Palmas are a team expected to be up there; you can’t go there to defend,” Real Valladolid coach Fran Escribá said ahead of facing his side’s next opponent. He expects Las Palmas to be determined to win at home and believes Valladolid must take the initiative rather than simply try to withstand pressure.

Escribá also sees danger in Las Palmas’ consecutive defeats, which could make them more threatening. “If we want to win, we have to play like we did against Córdoba, with that level of intensity and concentration, while improving our ability to create chances and our effectiveness,” he said at a press conference.

For the match, the coach will be without injured players Miguel Rubio and Dani Pérez, as well as Homam and Tay Abed, who are away with their national teams. Van Duiven, who has gastroenteritis, and Luis Chacón, who has a knee problem, are doubts. Thiago Ojeda, however, is available again.

Asked about Víctor Jr and Arnu, who came into prominence in the previous league round, Escribá stressed the need to stay grounded: “They are humble and know they haven’t done anything yet; they still have more to contribute. At this club, the line between playing and being left out is very thin, and they cannot let their performance drop.” He also said Víctor Jr was in perfect condition and available to play at Las Palmas despite having featured for the under-20 national team. Escribá said he had asked the squad to create “a bubble towards the outside”, so that good and bad moments would not affect their focus or work.

The coach also urged patience with Ryotaro Ito. The new signing first needs to strengthen his ankle after a minor injury; having not competed since May, he will need a pre-season. Escribá nevertheless believes he can offer attacking solutions and adapt to different systems.

Among the encouraging signs, the coach noted that his side had got into the penalty area more often and created goal-scoring opportunities. He is counting on players who make runs in behind and control the game to help secure the three points in Gran Canaria. He also praised Trilli’s return and improvement over the course of the last match, as well as the competition with Alejo, while reaffirming his confidence in Clerc and Garri. As for Juric, Escribá was pleased he stayed, describing him as a valuable professional who will soon reach his best level.