According to Sport, Las Palmas are once again trying to relaunch their project around a Barcelona-style football philosophy.
The club has taken this route several times in recent years, with Sergio Lobera and García Pimienta taking charge in turn. Now it is Albert Sanchez Saura's turn. One reason for his appointment is his football philosophy, which closely matches the style of play preferred by the club and its fans.
The player with the most to gain from this change is undoubtedly captain Kirian Rodríguez. His midfield profile fits the new coach's tactical ideas well, and he has already succeeded in very similar systems. Kirian's best period as a professional came under Pimienta.
This season has not been easy for Kirian, who wears the No. 20 shirt. The team started well, but its performances gradually declined under Rubén de la Barrera and bottomed out against Mallorca. He also went through a difficult personal period. Earlier, he had feared a relapse of Hodgkin's lymphoma and spoke about it himself after the match against Burgos. Fortunately, it turned out to be a false alarm.
Now that the worst is behind them and the managerial change is done, Kirian has 31 matches left to rediscover his best form in a system that suits him better.
His best spell came under Pimienta. The coach made him the team's organizational hub, the conductor of the tactical system and a key figure in Las Palmas' build-up play and control of tempo.
At that time, Kirian was in excellent form and helped keep the team in contention for better results in LaLiga. He started and finished many of the team's attacks, scoring 6 goals over the season to become Las Palmas' top scorer.
His performances even caught the attention of Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, who put him on the national team's radar. This was on the eve of Euro 2024, and with Spain's midfield so full of talent, breaking into the squad was far from easy.
As a player who had supported Las Palmas since childhood, Rodríguez was undoubtedly living the best time of his career. His outstanding form owed a great deal to his understanding with Pimienta. The Catalan coach knew his strengths well, gave him important responsibilities, and helped him reach the peak of his career.
After Pimienta left, however, everything changed. Las Palmas failed to find a suitable successor, and the club's most successful coaching period since Setién's departure came to an end. With Carrión and Martínez taking charge in turn, the team gradually drifted away from its original football philosophy.
Kirian, meanwhile, suffered another setback because of illness and could not help the team avoid relegation. Even so, under Luis García he made a strong comeback, regained an important role, and improved his standing.
After going from a low point to a rebound last season, the Las Palmas academy product faced another managerial change this summer. After García's departure, Rubén de la Barrera took over. This coach had previously worked with Kirian in the reserve team.
Although the team is far from its former level, it has at least gradually found stability, and its performances have improved. The arrival of Albert Sanchez Saura has now changed the situation again, both for the team and for the island captain. Kirian knows he is fully capable of becoming a central figure in the new coach's tactical system.
Kirian's form this season has been below his best, and he admitted as much shortly after the loss to Mallorca. However, in last Tuesday's Copa del Rey match against Alcalá, he scored twice, the second from a spectacular free kick, showing his quality once again. Under the new coach, he is expected to improve further.
Sanchez knows the captain has enough talent and ability to lead the team's resurgence, and this is one of the main reasons the club hired him. Las Palmas even went as far as appointing a coach who was still under contract with another club, which says a lot about how much they value his football philosophy.
The two sides' interests coincide. Sanchez needs a key player who can understand and carry out his tactical ideas, while Kirian needs a coach who can help him regain his best form.
The season still has a long way to go, and the new coach has ample time to instill his philosophy in the team. For Kirian, Sanchez may be the right person to help him return to his peak. The qualities he showed under Pimienta are still there, and the new coach's system can make full use of his strengths.
The direction of this Las Palmas team will be set by the Tenerife-born midfielder. He has the authority and ability to be the central figure in re-establishing the team's familiar style. Las Palmas need to rediscover their football language, and Kirian, wearing the No. 20 shirt, will be its most important interpreter.