Valencia Club de Fútbol manager Carlos Corberan altered his defensive setup during Friday's training session at the Ciudad Deportiva de Paterna, trialling a three-man backline ahead of the LaLiga match against Barcelona. As reported by www.comuniate.com, defensive midfielder Pepelu slotted into that defence alongside Arnau and Mouctar Diakhaby, while natural centre-back César Tárrega is set to start the match on the bench. The team, sitting 17th in the table with just one point from three games, is looking to react after the defeat at Deportivo's Riazor.
The Tribuna Deportiva (@TribunaVCF) account noted on September 4 that "Corberán medita modificar la defensa tras la derrota en Riazor". The same tweet added that "Pepelu volvería a la línea de tres centrales y Tárrega se quedaría en el banquillo". This tactical move does not confirm the definitive lineup, but offers clear clues about the direction the coaching staff is taking for a important match at Mestalla.
Why is Corberan moving Pepelu to defence?
Carlos Corberan is searching for solutions amid a difficult table position, with a record of zero wins, one draw and two losses, and only one goal scored versus four conceded. The experiment with Pepelu in a three-man defence responds to a tactical need and a squad issue. The Tribuna Deportiva tweet pointed out that "el único 6 para jugar en el centro sería Dieng", suggesting a shortage of pure options for the holding midfield role. By repositioning Pepelu, a natural defensive midfielder, Corberan could free up Dieng for that containment duty while adding ball-playing ability from the back. The Valencia boss is thus exploiting the versatility of a player who normally operates in midfield.
What are the roles for Arnau, Diakhaby and Tárrega?
In the defensive drill, the back three would be composed of Arnau and Diakhaby as fixed centre-backs, with Pepelu completing the trio. This leaves César Tárrega, a natural centre-back, out of the starting lineup. The decision appears to be based more on the team's overall balance than individual performance. A trio with Arnau, Diakhaby and Pepelu offers a mix of physicality, experience, and ability to build from the back. For fans wanting to follow the squad's evolution, all the information is available on the club's official squad page.
What is the context of Valencia's season?
Valencia CF faces the match against leaders Barcelona with an eight-point gap in the standings, underlining the urgency to get points. The team is not only fighting to climb the table but also to overcome a goal-scoring crisis, with just one goal so far in the league. Also, the injury list is extensive and includes important names like Sergi Canós, Jesús Copete, Jasper De Haas, Diego López, Gabriel Rodríguez and Umar Sadiq, which limits Corberan's options. Fans can check the status of these absences in the injuries section.
What comes after the Barcelona match?
Regardless of the result at Mestalla, the calendar offers no respite for Valencia. The next LaLiga fixture is a tricky away trip to face Sevilla, seventh in the table, on September 11. This away match represents another huge challenge in a tough start to the season. The team needs to quickly find solid performances and points to move away from the relegation places. The next stop on Valencia's fixtures list is the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium.
