Sadiq seals Valencia victory on injury comeback as Real Madrid await

Valencia head coach Javier Aguirre praised Umar Sadiq after the Nigeria international marked his return from an injury lay-off of around two months with the winning goal against Elche CF.

Sadiq came off the bench in the 61st minute of Sunday night’s La Liga match, replacing Pablo Maffeo, and needed only six minutes to make the decisive contribution in a 1-0 victory.

The result was Valencia’s first win since Aguirre took charge of the club in September and gave Sadiq an immediate impact on his return to competitive action.

Speaking after the match, Aguirre said the striker’s availability was a positive development for the whole squad.

“It’s a joy for everyone. We also had the 0–2 opportunity, and I don’t know what happened in that play. Elche CF had their chances too. The victory feels good,” the Mexican manager told the club’s official website.

Sadiq’s goal was his second in four La Liga appearances for Valencia this season. His return and match-winning contribution have provided the club with a timely boost before their next league fixture against Real Madrid.

Aguirre said Valencia would not require additional motivation for a match against one of Europe’s leading teams.

“We don’t need any extra motivation. We’re playing against one of the best teams, and hopefully we can put in a good performance,” he added.