Valencia manager Carlos Corberan has explained the absence of Super Eagles forward Umar Sadiq during their 7-1 thrashing by Barcelona at the Estadio Olímpico Lluís Companys on Sunday.
The Super Eagles striker completed a loan transfer from Real Sociedad to Valencia in early January, with an option for the Spanish club to make the move permanent.
Sadiq has since made two appearances for Los Ches, marking his second match with a goal in Valencia's 2-0 victory over Ourense in a Copa del Rey fixture, thus ending a personal 10-month goal drought.
However, he has not featured in any matches since then. He missed last weekend's game against his parent club, Real Sociedad, reportedly due to a fear clause and was an unused substitute in the defeat to Barcelona, sparking speculation about his absence.
Corberan explains Sadiq's bench role against Barcelona
Speaking after the match, the 41-year-old revealed that a combination of tactical adjustments and injury concerns influenced the decision to leave Sadiq out of the action at the Estadio Olímpico Lluís Companys.
“We needed other players at that time. Yarek asked for a change and with Foulquier's situation he demanded a substitution, we made the changes we considered appropriate,” Corberan said as reported by AS.
The 27-year-old forward joined Valencia with the aim of revitalising his career after a challenging spell at Real Sociedad, where he started just two matches in the first half of the 2024/25 La Liga season.
Seeking a fresh start and regular playing time, he moved to a Valencia side struggling at the bottom of the table. Currently in 19th place with 16 points from 21 games, Valencia are in dire need of an attacking boost as they battle against relegation.
