Since his summer arrival, the journey of Kelechi Iheanacho in La Liga has hit unexpected hurdles, as Sevilla coach García Pimienta sheds light on the Nigerian star’s ongoing struggle to find his footing within the team.
Despite his high-profile background from Manchester City and Leicester, Iheanacho remains out of favor, with young forward Isaac Romero often taking his place, even though Romero himself is yet to score this season, footballrover reports.
In recent La Liga matches, the Super Eagles star hasn’t set foot on the field, remaining on the bench against teams like Real Betis, Barcelona, and Espanyol.
Recruited as a potential replacement for Youssef En-Nesyri, who departed for Fenerbahce, the 2013 FIFA U-17 Golden Ball winner hasn’t yet made the expected impact.
Five matches in, he’s still searching for his first goal or assist in Spain’s top flight.
Challenges behind Iheanacho’s sevilla struggles
Pimienta cited several reasons for the forward’s extended bench time, starting with Iheanacho’s limited pre-season participation, which has hindered his ability to integrate into Sevilla’s tightly-knit squad.
With the team having trained together for months, catching up has proven challenging for the Nigerian.
Pimienta also highlighted Isaac’s advanced understanding of the game plan and his valuable on-field contributions, positioning him as a more reliable fit for the team’s strategies.
The Sevilla boss said on La Jugada de Canal Sur Radio, via Estadio Deportivo,
“The boy is training very well. I know it seems like excuses, but he didn’t do the pre-season with the team.
The team already had our concepts; we have been training together for almost two months. He didn’t do the preseason; it was hard for him to adapt.
He has a player in front of him, Isaac, who is clear about it, who gives us a lot of things, and who is doing very well.”
Yet, the Sevilla coach reassures fans that Kelechi Iheanacho will see future opportunities, as he has confidence in the forward’s quality and adaptability.
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