Thursday, July 22, 2021 at 11:23• Rian Rosendaal • Last update: 11:31

A major setback for Jasper Cillessen in preparation for the new season. The 32-year-old goalkeeper has suffered a muscle injury and, according to, among other things, marca out of circulation for several weeks. After a difficult season in Spain, Cillessen once again had a permanent place under the bar at Valencia, which starts the new season in LaLiga on August 13 against Getafe.

Cillessen had a basic place last Friday in Valencia’s friendly meeting with Europa League winner Villarreal (3-2 victory). Shortly afterwards, the Dutch goalkeeper sustained the muscle injury, as a result of which he was missing on Wednesday evening in his club’s exhibition game against the Greek Atromitos (3-0 victory). Cillessen was replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili, who made two brilliant saves and according to marca also on the training sessions shows that he knocks on the door of trainer José Bordalás.

Sport: ‘Jasper Cillessen’s new smile only comes from one man’

For the Valencia goalkeeper, the situation was very different less than a week ago.Read article

After a year full of setbacks, injuries and rumors about an interim departure, Cillessen received good news about his position within the selection in the run-up to the 2021/22 season. He seems to be the first choice for Bordalás. “Cillessen’s smile comes from only one man: José Bordalás,” wrote Sport after the 3-2 practice win over Villarreal. Bordalás was appointed in May as the permanent successor to the fired Javi Gracia. The new trainer came over from Getafe and quickly introduced his new pupils to his philosophy.

Bordalás is known as a coach who pays strict attention to the fitness of his players: they have to be able to push their limits and play football relentlessly to get results. Cillessen notes that his team has had ‘character’ since the arrival of Bordalás. “A very difficult game after a tough week”, Cillessen typified the first practice game of the new season last week. In preparation, Valencia will also face Cartagena (July 24), Real Zaragoza (July 28), Levante (July 30) and Brentford (August 7), duels that Cillessen seems to miss.

Competitor Jaume Domenech was under the bar for most of last season’s games, but now seems to have to stop. “If there is no offer that satisfies both sides, Cillessen will be Valencia’s first goalkeeper,” he said Sport to report recently. The sixty-time international of the Dutch has a contract until mid-2023 in Valencia. According to the newspaper, Valencia will lose an amount of twelve million euros to Cillessen over the next two years, which consists of his salary costs and the remaining amortization of the transfer fee paid to Barcelona in 2019 (35 million euros). “The club would like to save that amount, but Bordalás wants to keep Cillessen clear.”