For Javier Aguirre, this trip to El Sardinero is less about arrival than about clarification. Valencia’s new coach is set to make his bow against Racing Santander in LaLiga EA Sports, but the most important detail heading into kickoff is what he has not yet decided: his first starting XI.
That uncertainty is hardly surprising given how much Aguirre has already tested this week. According to AS, he has trialled both a back five and a back four, which tells us the shape is still fluid rather than fixed. The key constant has been Pepelu, whose ability to drop in as an extra centre-back gives Aguirre a useful escape route between systems without having to rebuild the team entirely.
Selection clues, but no final answer
The headline issue is not whether Valencia will look different under their new coach. They almost certainly will. The real question is which version of different Aguirre trusts first. A back five would offer more caution and more protection in the opening phase of his tenure, while a back four would suggest a more direct attempt to establish control higher up the pitch.
Even then, the squad picture is still not fully settled. In his first press conference, Aguirre said he was still unsure of the final squad list, which underlines how much of this debut remains in flux. That leaves the available options, and the players returning or still recovering, central to the conversation around selection rather than any fixed tactical blueprint.
Among the names available to shape the decision are Diakhaby, Danjuma, Copete, Foulquier, Luis Rioja, Dimitrievski, Maffeo, De Haas, Gayà, Guido, Javi Guerra, Otorbi, Elliott and Hugo Duro. The presence of those options gives Aguirre room to choose either stability or flexibility, but it also makes the first call more revealing. A debut usually tells you what a coach values most: security, width, pressing, or simply structure.
That is why this match matters beyond the scoreline. At El Sardinero, Aguirre is not just taking charge of Valencia for the first time. He is beginning the process of defining what Valencia look like under him, and whether Pepelu remains the key tactical bridge while the rest of the shape comes into focus. Racing Santander vs Valencia may be only one match, but for Aguirre it is the first live answer to a much bigger question.
