Córdoba aim to stop the rot at Escribá’s Valladolid

Córdoba CF arrive with a bit of relief after picking up their second win of the season at Albacete’s Carlos Belmonte. Even if, as Sport notes, the overall feel and play weren’t the best, the result brought “serenity” for the club and its surroundings ahead of the next league fixtures in the 2026-27 campaign.

The article highlights that coach Iván Ania still has work to do, and the biggest concern is balance and defensive output. In the league, Córdoba are the second-most conceded side in Segunda División with 13 goals conceded—only the bottom club, with 16, have been worse. Sport also reminds that, since their return to the professional ranks, Córdoba have struggled in the same way: in both 2025-26 and 2024-25 they conceded over 60 goals across 42 league matches, so the club needs a sharp improvement if it wants to aim beyond just surviving.

A chance to keep a clean sheet

Next Sunday gives them an opportunity Sport frames as a “golden moment”: Córdoba can leave their goal unbreached for the first time this season. Their opponent is Real Valladolid, managed by Fran Escribá, at the José Zorrilla (14:00).

Sport underlines the pressure on Escribá. Although Valladolid’s sporting director Víctor Orta said this week that the coach is not under scrutiny, the paper adds that a negative result could cost him his job. Meanwhile, the Valladolid side themselves look shaky in front of goal: they have scored only three goals so far, averaging a goal every 180 minutes, making them—along with Ceuta—the lowest scorers in the division.

According to Sport, those three goals came in a limited span: two were in matches that ended level (Luis Chacón in Cádiz 1-1, and Juanmi Latasa last matchday in a 1-1 at the Alfonso Murube where the visitors drew thanks to a 101st-minute equaliser). The third goal also wasn’t a “typical” Valladolid scorer: their only win was 1-0 over Andorra at José Zorrilla, with an own goal from defender Diego Alende. Sport concludes that Córdoba’s trip could become decisive not only defensively, but also in the standings if they manage to secure a consecutive six-point haul away from El Arcángel.