Pimienta: ‘Iheanacho’s not getting the minutes that even I would say he deserves’
Sevilla FC Head coach, Garcia Pimienta says he is very happy with Kelechi Iheanacho who has been reduced to a bit-part player in his first year at the LaLiga club.
The Nigerian has not featured in Sevilla’s last two LaLiga matches and has started four of the seven he has featured in since he joined as a free agent in July.
The 28-year-old is also looking to score not only his first LaLiga goal but also his first league goal since October 2023 after he scored in Leicester City’s 3-1 defeat of Swansea City in a Sky Bet Championship game.
Iheanacho has however scored three times in two Copa del Rey games, but Sevilla fans want him to be delivering week in, week out like he did in his early years in the Premier League.
Pimienta understands the situation and at his pre-match presser ahead of their game at Atletico Madrid insists the Nigerian deserves to play regularly.
‘I’m very happy with Kelechi. He’s not getting the minutes that even I would say he deserves, but as a striker to play minutes and do well would have given him confidence. He is available and I hope that if he plays on Monday, he can be lucky in front of goal,’ said Pimienta.
The Nigerian has just three games left to score his first league goal in 2024 and first since October 2023, starting with the game at Civitas Metropolitano on Sunday evening.
If he fails to score, then he will have two further opportunities against Celta Vigo in Seville and at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu to face Real Madrid three days to Christmas.
