Pejiño, first big scorer in a League derby, is ordered

He came to revolutionize the team with his entry into the second part of the clash against Levante in the City of Valencia -alongside Moleiro- and the Barcelonan had no choice but to reward him, because the Andalusian had also scored the qualifying goal for the second Copa del Rey tie the week before in Teruel.

A while after the derby ended, During his appearance in the Gran Canaria press room, he made a comment that perhaps serves to explain why Pejiño has not had more prominence so far this season when he was questioned about the player’s performance.

«We are a team that organizes ourselves a lot and Pejiño, within his disorder, makes him generate many scoring chances. What happens is that he has a lot of competition. The only thing I can say about him is that he has the same options as the rest of his teammates to start. Naturally, if he plays this type of game – like the one against Tenerife – he will participate much more », declared García Pimienta.

And he added: “But I am very happy for him, because when a player does not end up participating, he is training well, he is waiting for his opportunity and luck is not with him when he participates, and he plays a game like today – the day before yesterday -, I I am very happy for him.”

Somehow, he came to recognize two possible reasons for the low participation of the Barbateño: the disorder that he causes within the order and the little use of opportunities. The data is revealing: in 17 days, Francisco Jesús Crespo has only started four.

The sanction that he suffered last season after the red card that saw the conclusion of the playoff second leg derby did not help him, because he had to miss the first two league games, a circumstance that put him at a disadvantage compared to his competitors by a Market Stall. Thus, Álvaro Jiménez won the place on the right and Moleiro and Óscar Clemente shared the one on the right. In addition, Marvin, Benito and even Lemos were also part of the list of nominees for the winger position.

It took Pejiño nine games to start, and when he did, against Ibiza in Gran Canaria, he did it as a false nine, that is, in a place where he had barely played in his football career. García Pimienta had to use him as a resource because he had just lost Marc Cardona to an injury, Florin Andone had been out for a long time and Sandro, with muscular discomfort, was not around for more than half an hour.

Despite the fact that the Barcelonan praised Peji’s work in a position that was not his, the reality is that he hardly had any chances to score and he was seen lost at times. Coincidence or not, the man from Cádiz was the only field footballer who did not play a single minute in the double commitment between Lugo and Ponferrada in just three days. There was no explanation; the two victories of the team, both by 0-1, justified everything.

The following day, instead, he started from the start, against Cartagena, but it hardly had any significance: he just lost an opportunity. As well as the one he had in the clash against Burgos, for which he was chosen from the beginning after a great performance in Huesca when he came on from the bench in the second half.

Now, to the third, without counting on the title against Ibiza because he played out of place, he was finally ordered. He was seen electric from the beginning, involved, dangerous, like in the City of Valencia. Before his first goal, the culmination of an extraordinary play, he had already launched another missile, and then with another great shot, this time from far away, he sealed the classic for UD.

He requested the change as a precaution because he began to feel discomfort and left, but he has nothing: he is perfectly available for next Saturday’s game (5:30 p.m.) against Sporting at El Molinón. From the moment he beat Juan Soriano for the second time, he entered the history of UD Las Palmas as the first player to win a double in a League derby.

In other competitions they are surpassed by Narciso, who scored four goals at the Heliodoro in a Copa del Rey match in the 1986-87 campaign, and Pepe Juan, who scored three in a League Cup duel at the extinct Estadio Insular in the course 1983-84.

Beyond the record, Pejiño looks to the future with optimism, knowing that his inclusions in the eleven depend on his immediate performance, no matter how much he is the best yellow winger.