Penalties have become a problem for Iván, the Pichu, Cuellar. Of the six maximum penalties that Leganés has suffered so far this season, three were forced Perea, Tarín and Bustinza and the other half have been the direct responsibility of this veteran from Extremadura (36 years), which makes him the goalkeeper with the most penalties this season in Second division. Single Galvez (middle of Castellon) surpasses him in this pernicious statistic.
The last time Cuellar committed a penalty that happened last Friday in Cartagena, when, after a bad transfer of Jonathan Silva, the archer threw Ruben Castro. Clear penalty of shared responsibility with the Argentine defender, but in which the goalkeeper also had his share of guilt. More striking were the penalties against him Fuenlabrada and Sporting de Gijón, the two fruits of untimely departures.
The one of El Molinón He exposed his problems in the aerial balls, when he hit the face of a rival with his fists for not leaving on time. The opponent finished off with a header, but Pichu, who faced that ball with his face turned, looking away, took it ahead.
Opponents without option
These numbers weigh in the debate about who should occupy the goal of a Leganes that at the beginning of the course he discovered in Diego Conde (22 years old) a worthy opponent of the post of Pichu. The physical problems of the third captain made Jose Luis Marti bet during three matches for this boy on loan from him Atlético de Madrid and with a purchase option of one million euros. It performed well, but hardly Cuellar got in tune, returned to the goal.
Now Count watch the games from the bench or the stands. With Marti, all matches had two substitute goalkeepers, but Garitano has abolished this custom in Butarque Y Asier Risk He has advanced to Madrid in the preferences of his coach. In ownership, however, there are no doubts. The Leganes remains Cuellar and ten more. As has been happening in the last three seasons.
An untouchable since 2017
And it is that few players have enjoyed the continuity and armor in modern Lega than him. Came to Butarque in the summer of 2017 to isolate from fluctuations a position that the previous season had had up to five tenants. Asier Garitano he wanted an experienced specialist and found him in this long-haul guardhouse. Since then, it is a fixed.
It was with his own Garitano, but also with Pellegrino, Aguirre, Martí and now again with Garitano. Confidence that has made him accumulate 123 official twists and become the fourth goalkeeper with the most matches in the history of Lega, only behind Aguilera (314), Raúl Arribas (221) and Raúl Moreno (175).
Contract ends this season
Along the way have been companions of adventures in the goal who were not able to overshadow it: Champagne, Serantes, Lunin, Andrés Prieto or Juan Soriano they did not succeed. Nor is the confidence of Garitano, although the outlook is different in the medium-long term.
Cuellar The contract ends at the end of the season and it remains to be seen if Leganés will launch to negotiate his renewal. Everything will depend on the category in which the team will serve next year. Meanwhile, in the short term Pichu will continue to play with the curse of penalties threatening his resume, so far, pristine in Butarque.