Sevilla manager Javier Garcia Pimienta has justified his decision to leave new signing Chidera Ejuke on the bench for the entirety of Saturday’s La Liga clash against Las Palmas.
Pimienta’s side kicked off the 2024/25 campaign with a dramatic 2-2 draw against the Canary Islands-based club.
Sevilla took an early lead in the 25th minute following Alex Suarez’s own goal but were pegged back three minutes before halftime when Tanguy Nianzou also turned the ball into his own net.
In the second half, goals from Juanlu Sanchez and Sandro Ramirez also cancelled each other out as both teams shared the spoils.
Chidera Ejuke’s Sevilla debut delayed
None of the Nigerian players at Sevilla featured in the game against Las Palmas, with Kelechi Ihenacho left out of the match-day squad while Ejuke was also an unused substitute despite his impressive displays in pre-season.
Explaining his substitutions, Pimienta said the game was out of control and, therefore, needed more bodies in the middle of the park. He further suggested that he would’ve loved to bring on Saul Niguez (suspended) and Albert Sambi Lokonga (injured) rather than an extra attacker.
“The game was out of control and we only had attacking or defensive roles on the bench. I would have liked to have had a bit more control with players like Saúl or Sambi Lokonga, who would have participated if we had had them,” the Sevilla boss said, as quoted by Besoccer.
“It was a time of the game to go out very focused. It depends on the game, hopefully we can have them more controlled and everything we want to happen. I am not in favour of making all the changes or not making them, I make them depending on how the games go.”
Ejuke started in five of Sevilla’s six pre-season matches but was described by Pimienta as an “unbalanced” player who “must improve” to become a regular.
