Deportivo Alaves coach Luis Garcia Plaza has explained the reason for replacing Moroccan defender Abdelkebir Abakar during his team’s match against Real Madrid on Tuesday night.
In his statements at the post-match press conference, Plaza said: “I made the decision to change the defensive line by removing Abakar. He suffered a slight pain in the tendon of his leg, and I preferred to change him to stay ready, especially since we hope he will be ready for the next game against Getafe on Saturday.
Regarding the controversy caused by Abakar’s request to wear Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé’s shirt after the end of the first half, the Spanish press confirmed that the coach may not have been happy with this behavior, but Plaza focused his statements on technical reasons and the player’s behavior due to injury.
The decision to substitute Abakar raised some questions, particularly regarding the player’s behaviour, but the coach explained that the change was due to technical reasons and the pain felt by the defender.
