Eldense maximized the final day of the summer market, pulling off two additions just minutes before the window closed. Everyone outside the Pepico Amat offices expected at least one centre-back to join the squad. Instead, Deportivo opted for an under-23 goalkeeper on loan, Alvaro Aceves, along with a right-sided player, Miguelón Llambrich. In total, 28 players are registered in LaLiga, with 24 on the first-team payroll.
This keeps Eldense’s professional maneuvering license active, provided the salary cap of 5.4 million for the full season can accommodate it. If the squad is to be reshuffled now, teams must rely on players who were unemployed before September 2. Otherwise, the next opportunity to adjust comes in January when the global catalog reopens.
Barça’s sports management had to craft a time-sensitive plan in under two months. The young manager, freshly promoted and with a strong social following, faced an environment with salary caps forced by the club’s leadership. On the surface, the plan favored a dressing room heavy with midfielders and a shortage of at least one centre-back.
13 GOALS
Only one clean sheet in the first seven days
► Eldense kept a clean sheet on the opening day in Cartagena, and then averaged more than two goals conceded per game for the rest of the week.
3 CENTER
Among a squad of 28 LaLiga registered players, three are specialists in central defense: Dumic, Carlos Hernández, and Iñigo Pina.
7 CENTRAL CENTERS
And a central midfielder for two roles in the starting eleven
► Sergio Ortuño, David Timor, Miguel Marí, Pedro Capó, Álex Bernal, Youness, Marco Doué, and Cris Montes fill central and defensive roles as needed.
Coaches have always relied on the option to reposition pivots: Pedro Capó or Youness at the rear if required. It did not take long for Estévez to deploy this strategy. Both Balearic and Moroccan players frequently covered as central defenders, especially Mahonese in pressing moments.
Carlos Hernandez, shown as a starter alongside Dumic, prompted the Andalusian coach to turn to Piña as a complement to the Bosnian captain. The Navarrese player, however, struggled to settle, and his mistakes contributed to Deportivo’s loss at Ciutat de València.
Eldense league starts
Pedro Rojas
Lack of a clear central room in the squad, with 28 registered players, creates tension between first-team members and the reserve side, including Eddie Salcedo. Seven players with midfield experience fill that domain: Sergio Ortuño, David Timor, Miguel Marí, Pedro Capó, Álex Bernal, Youness, and Marco Doué. Cris Montes has a more attacking profile but can also slot into these positions when needed.
Seven days in, thirteen goals conceded—an easy takeaway is that Deportivo, trying to survive among larger clubs in the second tier, lacks some balance in central play. The team prioritizes defense and work rate, but its forward line and midfield balance struggle to harmonize. Estévez compels a compact defense to shield gaps, which in turn shapes a team predisposed to a more aggressive offensive profile. As a result, the balance, or the lack thereof, is taking a toll, yet there are still many rounds to play.
[Source: club reports and match summaries]