Pepelu stands tall at centre-back to limit Muriqi | OneFootball

Pepelu delivered on a difficult brief at centre-back against Mallorca, helping to quieten in-form Vedat Muriqi. As reported by AS, Carlos Corberán praised his personality and bravery and said he was very satisfied with his display. Alongside César Tárrega, he held Muriqi to one shot on target from five attempts.

This was Pepelu's first start at centre-back and his third outing there this season, after being moved back against Getafe and Elche because of team-mates' injuries. His display showed assurance and commitment.

In the second half, after Virgili came on, Corberán considered switching Pepelu's side so Tárrega would go body to body with Muriqi. The defenders felt secure, so the plan stayed unchanged.

In the 80th minute, Pepelu hit 34.1 km/h in a chase with Muriqi, his highest top speed in La Liga this season.

Minutes have been scarce since Guido Rodríguez arrived, just 16 across the seven previous games before Mallorca, 15 coming after Cömert's injury at Elche. Pepelu's average top speed is 29.8 km/h and he is not among the quickest at Valencia or in the league, yet he did enough to stop Muriqi in that run. For context, Largie Ramazani has reached 34.4 km/h in Spain with Almería, and Pepelu's late sprint underlines the intensity of his work at Paterna despite limited chances.

Source: AS