Espanyol 1 - 1 Valladolid

Espanyol v Valladolid: Preview

Updated: October 31, 2009, 6:00 PM UK

The future of Espanyol striker Raul Tamudo looks increasingly likely to be away from the club as coach Mauricio Pochettino insinuated that the player asked not to be selected for tomorrow's Primera Division match against Valladolid.

Tamudo has been involved in an unseemly dispute with Espanyol for the last few weeks and Pochettino recently admitted the striker may never turn out again in the club's colours.

Both parties then appeared to change their postures wrangle to preserve their mutual interests.

Pochettino today admitted that he has been working hard to rectify the situation, but hinted that Tamudo is not in the right frame of mind to face Valladolid.

"I have been assessing (the situation) for the whole week, but I'm quite sad and angry - I, along with the whole coaching staff, have tried to redirect this situation for the benefit of the club, but we have come up against a vacuum,'' he said.

"The decision is that he has not been called up.''

And the Argentinian coach suggested Tamudo does not want to play for the side where he has spent his entire career.

"I approached him, but we didn't have positive signs,'' he said.

"I would have liked it to have been different, but you have to deal with these situations.

"Our interests are above those of any one player and that is how we need to think.''

Tamudo is Espanyol's all-time record appearance holder and goalscorer.

Often described as their best ever player, he has represented Spain on 13 occasions, scoring five times.

He is also the only player to have played for Espanyol at all three of their stadiums, but has failed to score at the club's new ground at Cornella and may never play for Espanyol there again.

Pochettino has made just one change to the squad from last weekend's goalless draw at Sevilla.

Central defender Nico Pareja was sent off in that match and is therefore suspended for the game against Valladolid.

The Argentinian is replaced in the squad by youth team defender Victor Ruiz, but his place in the side is set to go to former Boca Juniors centre-back Facundo Roncaglia.

Meanwhile, Ivan De La Pena could start after shaking off an injury.

The Catalans have been in great form since losing their first two matches, three wins and three draws moving them into the top half of the table.

Valladolid have been less impressive but got their best result of the season last weekend, when they thrashed an in-form Deportivo La Coruna side 4-0.

Jose Luis Mendilibar's side then beat another form team, Mallorca, in the first leg of the teams' Copa del Rey tie on Thursday night.

The Castilians won that match 2-1 and captain Alberto Marcos hopes they can carry their form into the game against Espanyol.

"We have found some form in the last couple of matches and we need to keep that up with another good performance,'' he said.

Sisi is set to miss out again through injury, but Jonathan Sesma is making good progress in his recovery and could return.