Transfer latest: Diego López’s changing status at Valencia | OneFootball

Diego López’s role at Valencia has shifted under Carlos Corberán, underlined by him remaining an unused substitute in the 1-3 defeat to Celta de Vigo.

According to Superdeporte, from minute 60, when Fer López made it 1-2, Valencia were chasing the game and no changes had been made, which put extra weight on what followed. Corberán then turned to Sadiq, Ugrinic and Beltrán, later introducing Danjuma for Gayà on 78 minutes and dropping Rioja to full-back, yet Diego stayed on the bench as it became 1-3.

Last season he was only benched once by Corberán, the 0-3 at Mestalla against Atlético Madrid. This term he started 13 of the first 14 matches and scored two of his three goals in that run.

Across the last 16 fixtures he has started only two, one of them against Elche at Mestalla, who are again Valencia’s next league opponents.

His first demotion coincided with a line-up of Rioja, Pepelu, Ugrinic, Almeida, Beltrán and Hugo Duro ahead of the back line, with no natural wide man and Beltrán working from an inside role. At Celta he was squeezed out by a back five similar to the set-up at the Civitas Metropolitano in the defeat to Atlético.

When Corberán has sought out-and-out wide options, others have been preferred, from Danjuma to Ramazani, whose goals against Levante and Sevilla, plus from the spot, have strengthened his claim. That has pushed Diego further down the queue.

He wants to stay at Valencia, yet his prominence has faded from attracting European interest to a supporting role. He aims to use the run-in to prove he can reproduce last season’s second-half levels that led into his renewal. With a new status to justify, he still needs to turn that label into output, and if his part remains the same through matchday 38, anything could happen this summer.

Source: Superdeporte