Real Valladolid defeated CD Leganés 4-3 at the Zorrilla on Monday in a match manager Fran Escribá described as an unbroken exchange of blows, according to Real Valladolid CF. The home side led 4-1 at one stage before Leganés pulled two goals back, leaving Escribá with what he called a small fright at the end. Miguel Rubio scored twice for Valladolid, and Tay netted the fourth.
Escribá said he never regarded the match as settled, citing Leganés' quality. He said he had reviewed the goals and had a clear sense of where his team went wrong, and that the 4-3 scoreline left the hosts uneasy despite the win.
Why it matters
The result keeps Valladolid's attack productive while exposing a defensive frailty that Escribá has now flagged in consecutive matches. He said his side conceded too many shots against Leganés, and that the same problem had appeared in their previous Copa fixture. For a team relying on its finishing to separate itself in the division, tightening the penalty area is the obvious next task.
The match also underlined the value of set pieces. Escribá credited his assistant, David Generelo, with the dead-ball work that produced Rubio's double, calling Rubio a player who dominates both boxes.
Set pieces and a reshuffled front line
Escribá said set pieces rescued Valladolid in the opening minutes and that his team was more comfortable through to half-time. He felt the second half began well and without discomfort until Leganés scored and the game opened up again.
On the goals conceded, he said his players lacked a certain firmness inside their own area. He noted that Leganés had changed considerably over the previous two weeks and was always likely to cause problems, and he praised his goalkeeper's performance.
In attack, Escribá said Valladolid again showed the cutting edge that matters in this division. He explained his selection by saying he sacrificed both players named Víctor because he did not want two fixed strikers, and that he moved Fernández further forward, a position where he said Fernández does not shine as brightly.
Rubio asked to come off, according to Escribá, who downplayed the issue: the defender had gone a month without playing, and the substitution is not expected to amount to more than that. Escribá also said Garriel dislocated his shoulder and that he had not discussed a recovery timeline with the club doctor.
Leganés, meanwhile, took encouragement from Morata's first two goals for the club, covered separately by La Razón. Escribá said Leganés adjusted by bringing four players inside and passing well, and that he expected a difficult night.
Next up is the medical assessment of Garriel's shoulder and Rubio's condition, with Valladolid's defensive record the number to watch.
