Javi Puado, the deserved scoring emergence of a total striker

There are early scoring premieres, like that of Raúl Tamudo against Hercules in 1997, and others that take longer than expected, such as Javi Puado’s 25 games later in the First Division. “I am happy because we have won. Also for scoring, but above all for the first,” said the Barcelona player, who did not want to assess whether he had really come to despair for not getting that first goal and breaking his losing streak.

This season, suffering from a pubalgia that made him miss two months of competition after living an Olympic summer (“it was difficult, but I’m fine, getting better and better”), the left winger had run into the sticks, the goalkeepers’ saves or the shots near the goal. Either with the right, the left or with the head, because Puado has the technical quality to define precisely with any surface. “Puado has participated less, in the last two games he had opportunities to score. That is the important thing, that he is there, he generates it; it is good, and they will end up inside”Vicente Moreno said in the preview. And so it happened.

Puado’s first goal came from a corner. An extension at the near post that the goal, with the help of Son, Levante defender, put into the goal. “The first goal was doubtful. I asked Son and he told me that he didn’t touch her. I did,” said the forward. The referee for the match, the Cantabrian Cordero Vega, awarded the goal to Puado, who repeated with a superb shot after a shot by Raúl de Tomás. “It was a good reaction from the team, I’m very happy.”

Puado made his debut in the First Division in the 2018-19 campaign with Joan Francesc Ferrer Rubi on the bench. He did it in Vigo, precisely Espanyol’s next rival. He had few opportunities that season, in which he played mainly on the far right: he started twice and played 382 minutes. Unnoticed the following year with David Gallego and Pablo Machín, he went on loan to Zaragoza where he offered a great performance and returned to dazzle Vicente Moreno from the first moment.

“If the technician trusts me, it is because I do a good job”

The Valencian coach not only likes Puado’s attacking ability, capable of playing in different profiles, fast and decisive, but also his defensive solidarity. “You have to help the team in attack and defense, but I like to score goals, the more the better. In the First Division the rivals are good, sometimes the chances do not come in, but if the coach trusts me it is because I do a good job, but anyone can do it in this team, “he concluded.

After maintaining the streak at the RCDE Stadium, the player reiterates the pending task of this team, which is to win away from home. “The more points the better, but we would like some win away. We can always improve, we are not going to settle. The year has been good, but we can go even further.”