Viti Rozada to undergo surgery as Las Palmas’ defense falters

Las Palmas’ back line is taking another hit. As MARCA reports, Viti Rozada will go under the knife to be operated on for a meniscus problem after carrying issues since May. The full-back has not played since the 5-1 win over FC Andorra at the end of the season, and if the expected timeline holds, his return would land in November.

The report also suggests a recovery window of roughly two months, with around the first two weeks already expected to keep him out. With so many absences, Rubén de la Barrera’s options shrink right where he has the least room to rotate.

More defensive setbacks

According to MARCA, De la Barrera currently has only five fit defenders available in the first team. Álex Suárez remains out with a muscle fiber tear, Marvin Park is unavailable, and Opoku’s situation is still unclear. MARCA adds that the center-back arrived on the island with knee discomfort after a stint in Turkey, and his debut is still without a date.

The same piece lists other names in the infirmary: Recoba, Cedeño, Sergio Ruiz and Ale García. It’s a crowded injury list, forcing the coach to keep reinventing the setup week after week.

Tactical reshuffle expected

When Las Palmas had to improvise against Cádiz, De la Barrera made structural changes: Bonfanti played in the middle alongside Herzog, Clemente offered depth on the left, and Pezzolesi took on more weight on the right. For the next match, Andrés Rodríguez is expected to be among the solutions, plus youth options: Valentino Racca has been standing out in the reserves, while Aidan Pérez was called up for the previous game.

With Viti Rozada heading to surgery, the immediate challenge is regaining minutes and finding defensive answers before the problem grows even bigger.