Inigo Perez confirms Carlos Romero is out vs Valencia

Carlos Romero, out; Saliba, pending evolution

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Íñigo Pérez confirmed that Carlos Romero will not be available for the Valencia match, while Nathan Saliba is a doubt due to some physical discomfort.

«Nathan Saliba has a bit of a niggle. We’ll see if he makes it or not, which is why he also came off at halftime in Anfield», he explained.

The midfielder’s participation will depend on how he evolves in the hours leading up to the game.

Nicolas Pépé moves closer to his return

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The coach also shared positive news about Nicolas Pépé, who is already working on the pitch.

«He’s doing well, he’s getting on with things. I don’t think it will take much longer for him to be available», he said.

Although his recovery is progressing favorably, he still has not confirmed his availability for the derby.

Rotations confirmed by European fatigue

Íñigo Pérez acknowledged that the accumulation of matches is forcing them to manage their players’ efforts carefully.

«It’s normal that we approach matches with changes because of this kind of detail and other tactical factors», he explained.

Therefore, there are expected changes in the starting lineup compared to the match against Liverpool, especially among the players who have played the most minutes.

Different options in midfield

The coach avoided saying who would take the midfield positions, but he said he has several solutions.

He can use three specialist midfielders, bring in attacking midfielders, or hold back one of his forwards, depending on the tactical needs.

Íñigo expects an intense, hard-fought derby against Valencia of Javier Aguirre, with particular importance for the physical management of his players.