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Trashorras. Córdoba. And Pablo Íñiguez (31st May, 2017)

Pop quiz: in the 2013-14 season, who completed more passes than Xavi, with 2,936 passes (2,537 good) to 2,587 (2,406)?

In the 2014-15 season, who completed more passes than Toni Kroos, with 2,566 passes (2,213 good) to 2,353 (2,170)? 

In the 2015-16 season, who completed more passes than Toni Kroos, with 2,693 passes (2,351 good) to 2,425 (2,277)?

Trashorras. Duh.

The Rayo midfield linchpin has done it again - for the fourth consecutive season, he is on course to become the player with the most passes in the league he plays in.

Player Team Total Passes Short PassesLong Passes Through Balls
Trashorras Rayo 2,179 1,872 303 4
Fernando Seoane Lugo 2,175 1.940 234 1
Folch Reus 2,055 1,776 278 1
Zapater Zaragoza 1,998 1,728 265 5
Carlos Pita Lugo 1,844 1,539 302 3

Stats as per the 39th jornada i.e. before the Zaragoza game - Trashorras was suspended anyways!

Also, considering the Seoane has played 545 minutes more than Trashorras, that is pretty impressive. In fact, Trashorras makes 0.83 passes per minute (2,637 minutes) compared to Seoane's 0.68 passes per minute (3,182 minutes).




In the 1964-65 La Liga, Córdoba only conceded two goals at home as it went undefeated, the first being courtesy of Espanyol's Alfredo Di Stéfano. The club finished 5th, its best finish to date, but was not allowed to enter the following season's UEFA Cup due to city infrastructure issues.

6th place Barcelona took their place.



22nd June, 2014. Córdoba are losing 1-0 away from home and know that a goal will see them through. It’s the final of the promotion playoff between Las Palmas and Córdoba, and Las Palmas fans are holding on.

But they couldn’t, after all this was their moment - they were going to be in La Primera after 12 years of waiting. They had deserved it too - hitting the post twice and dangerous both with and without the ball; in contrast Córdoba kept making mistake after mistake. Córdoba weren’t even supposed to be here - they had come seventh in the league and were only in the playoffs as Barcelona B were ineligible.

They couldn’t hold on anymore.

And so, before the match was over and with just 30 seconds left to play, Las Palmas fans ran onto the Estadio Gran Canaria, a pitch that fans thought would host Barcelona and Real Madrid. The match was held back for 10 minutes, and the stewards and police ushered fans off the pitch.

The fans thought that was unnecessary - after all what could happen in 30 seconds?

Everything.

With just 30 seconds left, Pedro on the right wing crossed the ball into the box, reaching the unmarked Raúl Bravo, whose weak touch should have been easily saved by goalkeeper and captain Mariano Barbosa. The goalkeeper who had not put in a foot wrong for 100 minutes inexplicably didn't stop the ball with his hand, and the ball slipped through his fingers. So did Las Palmas’ promotion dreams.

Córdoba's Ulises Dávila, player who wasn’t even Córdoba’s but Chelsea’s, pounced on the loose ball, and sent Córdoba to La Liga after 42 years.



He could adequately be a first team choice at Villarreal. His quality is undeniable, and has been unlucky to not get more playing time.

Pablo Íñiguez played and got injured in his first game, went through physical and mental problems but overcame them within nine months, and is right now a rotation option with Zé Castro, Amaya and ex-Villarreal defender Dorado.

He’s amazingly quick and reads the game extraordinarily well, and is a wonderful passer of the ball.

Check out this amazing assist for Embarba to open the scoring for Rayo.








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