Pablo Insua, one of the most important players in Sporting’s defensive system, is back at Abelardo’s disposal after serving a one-match ban against Cartagena. In principle, and if there is no last-minute setback, which is not expected, the Galician defender will return to his starting position in the Asturian derby that takes place this Saturday (9:00 p.m.) at the Carlos Tartiere, and will form in the center of the couple behind with Cali Izquierdoz. Both form one of the most reliable pairings in the League. Gragera, meanwhile, is postulated more as an option to play with three midfielders, if Christian Rivera is maintained, and Zarfino advances the position to be closer to the striker. The irruption of Gragera, in any case, adds internal competition to a demarcation that before the arrival of Bruno González, unprecedented until now, was the most weakened by number, but not by level. The defensive level of the team, overall, and, logically, individual, has also risen in the last stretch of the competition: the rojiblancos have conceded a goal in the last four games.
Abelardo, in any case, has three sessions ahead of him to refine the final line-up for his first derby as coach of the first team. Yesterday, the coach organized a training session that was not too demanding from a physical point of view: a rondo, possessions… Many are the players who are also with just enough after weeks of a lot of wear and tear: Zarfino, for example, has been competing for several games with a tendonitis. Iván Cuéllar, on the other hand, did not exercise with his colleagues in this first work session. It is very difficult for him to recover the place due to the sprain in his left ankle that he suffered in the final moments of the match in Lugo. Today, there are more options for Mariño to play in Oviedo
Insua and Cali have started together whenever they have been available for Abelardo. The Argentine “rested” in Granada. That match was initially played by Axel Bamba. Then, Cali entered the field with the score already sentenced. He also missed the duel against Albacete, due to a severe bruise on his right side. Insua, meanwhile, has also been absent in two games (Levante and the last one in Cartagena). But in both he has been sanctioned. The two footballers are in the top 5 of the most used players. Cali is the first (1,606) minutes; while Insua is now the fourth (1,539).
With the expulsion of the Dépor youth squad for a double yellow card at the Anxo Carro de Lugo, Pitu retrained José Gragera to the position of central defender, since he also held against Cartagena in the match played at El Molinón. And the performance of the man from Gijón as a couple with Izquierdoz in those two games has been very positive. In fact, the team managed to keep a clean sheet in both games.
The coaches believe that the potential of the Sporting youth squad, highly valued in Mareo, is even higher as a central defender, due to his ability to see football from the face and technique to get the ball played from behind, as he demonstrated in various actions in the match against Luis Carrión’s team. “I see José (Gragera) as a center-back more than a pivot,” confessed the Sporting coach at the end of the game in the press room. The youth squad player, who has taken a step forward in the last month of competition, leaving behind the muscular problems that had slowed down a notable start to the League, is seen more as a pivot, a position in which he is well regarded in football as he is a regular in the plans of the under-21 team.
Zarfino: “I respect the supporters’ clubs’ decision”
Gio Zarfino referred yesterday to the decision of the Sporting supporters clubs not to attend the derby in Oviedo as they were contrary to the security protocol. “I read it, yes,” he said about the news advanced by LA NUEVA ESPAÑA. “One must always respect one’s decision if they believe it is well taken,” insisted the Uruguayan media outlet, who confessed that he really wanted to win against Oviedo. “The streak of results in the derby is a divine motivation,” he added before praising the work of Álvaro Cervera.
