Andoni Iraola had already found his eleven type. The Rayista coach repeated the team in these last three days (Oviedo, Castellón and Lugo), after 36 different combinations. His bet, which has earned him six of nine points at stake, consisted of Luca under sticks; Advíncula, Saveljich, Catena and Fran, in defense; Óscar and Comesaña, in the core; ahead, Isi, Trejo and Álvaro; and Qasmi for reference above. That could have become his eleven for Thursday's appointment against Leganés (Vallecas, 9:00 p.m.), but it will be impossible. The coach will have to change his plans and face the promotion with two very sensitive casualties, those of the international Stole Dimitrievski and Luis Advíncula.
The Norman goalkeeper has joined the discipline of his team to play the Eurocup, the first in its entire history. Before leaving, Dimitriesvki left a message on Twitter: “Playoff goal accomplished. I am sure that we will achieve promotion ”. And he will follow his own in the distance …
Iraola began the transition in the franjirroja goal a couple of weeks ago. Luca Zidane took over from Dimi, moving from a more secondary role to another protagonist. The Frenchman has only conceded two goals (one of them, Manu Barreiro's, from a penalty) in the last three games and managed to leave a clean sheet in Castalia, after the team linked five games by conceding. El Rayo has bolted in thirteen games this season: nine with Dimitrievski, three with Luca and one with Morro.
However, the most abrupt change will be experienced on the right side. Advíncula will not be there, the fourth player with the most minutes in the squad (2,791, behind Catena, Álvaro and Fran García) and the undisputed starter for the Basque coach. The Peruvian defender, who has made a target and has given three assists, will play the qualifying rounds for the next World Cup in Qatar with his team (On June 3, Colombia is measured and on June 8, Ecuador) and then the Copa América, which begins on July 13 and ends on July 10, in Brazil.
The canterano Mario Hernández will replace him by the band. The defender has always responded when Iraola has given him minutes, something that had not happened since matchday 31. His last game dates from April 14, against Mirandés, in which he started. In fact, Mario he started the course as the starting winger and alternated in the position with Lucho until matchday 13.