Valencia Club de Fútbol has been dealt a significant blow with a muscular injury to key midfielder Guido Rodríguez, ruling him out for two to three weeks. The Argentine, a fundamental piece for coach Carlos Corberán, will miss at least the next three La Liga matches, compounding the team's shaky start to the season.
The club confirmed the injury on Thursday at a difficult moment. Valencia sits 15th in the standings with just one point from their opening two games, having scored zero goals and conceded one. This Saturday they face an away trip to 11th-placed Deportivo La Coruna, a match that now looks even tougher without their starting defensive midfielder.
Which matches will Guido Rodríguez miss?
Guido Rodríguez will be absent for this Sunday's fixture at Riazor. He will also miss the following week's clash with Barcelona at Mestalla. His return could come for the visit to Real Sociedad just before the international break, but he is likely to also sit out the match against Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. His absence forces an immediate tactical rethink.
According to the report from Marca - Primera, "Corberán does not trust Dieng," referring to Mamadou Dieng, one of the sporting director's signings this summer. This lack of confidence in the young midfielder opens other options. The coach could opt to return to a four-defender line, a system he has used before. Another possibility is for Pepelu, who has sometimes played between the centre-backs, to drop into the defensive midfield role to replace Rodríguez.
How does this injury affect Corberán's plans?
The loss of Guido Rodríguez doesn't come alone and destabilises the manager's plans. Justin de Haas, another summer signing, suffered a severe ankle sprain in the first match and won't return until after the international break. Bryan Rioja has returned to play without being at one hundred percent. Mouctar Diakhaby also has problems playing matches too close together. This accumulation of physical issues hampers the team's options, which already has a faltering start with just that one point from two home games.
The table situation is concerning. With one point, Valencia is five points behind leaders Barcelona. The need to get points ahead of the trip to Coruna is urgent, and now they must do it without one of their most important players. You can check the squad's evolution and upcoming fixtures on our squad page and fixtures calendar.
Who can fill his position in midfield?
The absence of Guido Rodríguez leaves a complex gap to fill. His role as a ball-winner and first organiser is vital in Corberán's scheme. Pepelu appears as the natural substitute due to experience and characteristics, though that would imply an adjustment in defence. The other internal option is Mamadou Dieng, but the press report indicates the coach does not fully count on him at this moment.
This circumstance could accelerate the search for solutions, though the transfer window is closed. Corberán will have to improvise with available resources for a demanding run of fixtures. After Deportivo, comes Barcelona and then a visit to Sevilla, all heavyweight opponents. The physical recovery of the squad becomes the absolute priority to avoid falling further behind in the fight for the top spots. The team needs to quickly find a defensive balance, something you can follow in our stats section, which reflects the goal drought and initial fragility.
