A central problem

Limping as it was, or almost, since the match against Malaga (0-0), played on October 11 in the beautiful capital of the Costa del Sol, the Achilles heel of Aythami Artiles has said enough. It was the captain of Las Palmas himself, who played his last game against Mirandés (November 25) and has been out since then, who confirmed yesterday that On Friday he will be operated on for those persistent Achilles tendon problems.

Despite the fact that both Pepe Mel (coach) and Miguel Ángel Ramírez (president) announced days ago that missing the rest of the season was taken for granted, Artiles opened the door of hope yesterday. “They have told me that I can return in three months, so my goal is to arrive to play some games. I did not want to be selfish and I put my file at the disposal of the club”, he said yesterday on the entity's radio station. In any case, This new physical setback within the Las Palmas squad, the never-ending story since the Barranco Seco Sports City was inaugurated, gives the team a 'central' problem.

Discarded for a long period Aythami, that until his injury he had played 882 minutes this course in ten games, all as a starter, the gap between the rest of the opponents at the center of the rear is too great. It so happens that Mel does not doubt Curbelo, also meritorious as a right back, 1,131 minutes in 17 games, and much less than Álex Suárez, who has amassed 20 starts to date in all the stakes in which he has participated for a total of 1,750 minutes, the undisputed leader of Las Palmas in this section. From there, the abyss.

Tomás Cardona is not here and probably won't be expected, also participant in all pools that place it as one of the discards announced by MÁR. Certain muscular problems and the continuing excuse of his adaptation weighed down Mel's confidence, and for now He has only played three games, against Leganés, Castellón and Albacete, and just 196 minutes. It is not that it is much better for Ismael Athuman despite Mel's insistence in summer to get a professional record, accumulating the Kenyan international three games and 270 minutes. Las Palmas also has the resource of Saúl Coco, but the kid from the quarry He has barely participated in the Copa del Rey.

The numbers sing and the distance between the Suárez-Curbelo duo and the rest of the centrals is so great that the club could be accelerating the efforts to reinforce the axis of the rear, so damaged in these times. Although from the entity it is announced that no reinforcements will arrive to the first team unless they are from the house, with Rafa Mujica waiting and Dani Ojeda already in Alcorcón, It is time to look to the outside to strengthen the defense despite the insistence of the coach and leaders in looking towards the quarry. Frantic weeks are coming in the offices of the Sports Union.