Sevilla manager García Pimienta has opened up about Kelechi Iheanacho's lack of playing time, shedding light on the Super Eagles forward's ongoing struggles to break into the starting lineup.
The Spanish manager has faced sharp criticism from Nigerian football fans over his perceived unfair treatment of the Super Eagles forward, with Nigerian legend and former national team coach, Finidi George, recently adding his voice to the growing disapproval.
However, Pimienta has swiftly dismissed these allegations, defending his approach to managing the player, as Iheanacho once again remained an unused substitute during Sevilla's 1-1 draw against Espanyol on Saturday.
Pimienta addresses Iheanacho's ongoing bench role after Espanyol draw
In the aftermath of Sevilla’s 1-1 draw with Espanyol, manager Pimienta provided an explanation for Kelechi Iheanacho's continued absence from the starting lineup.
“We were dominating the rival and we needed players who had minutes. He has only trained this week. Peque had participated a little more, then Vargas, Antonetti, who has continuity in the reserve team… It is true that Kelechi is in a complicated situation at the moment and that is why I preferred another teammate to come out before him,” Pimienta said in his post-match conference as reported by AS.
Since joining the Spanish club, he has featured in 11 matches across all competitions, netting three goals, all in the Copa del Rey. Despite being named in the starting lineup on seven occasions, Iheanacho has averaged just 52 minutes per game.
Iheanacho is contracted to the Andalusian club until June 2026, with the club holding an option to extend his contract by an additional 12 months.
However, he has recently been linked with Premier League clubs Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as Championship side Leeds United.
