The 22-year-old attacker has enjoyed a promising start to his career in English football, having made the switch to the Premier League from La Liga and Villarreal, the club where he made his breakthrough into senior football.
South London may be some 1800 or so miles from Pino’s admittedly sunnier birthplace of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, but the 22-year-old has acclimatised rapidly to the rigours of the English game, and can consider himself unfortunate not to have opened his account in a Crystal Palace shirt.
He did, however, register his first two assists for Palace just prior to the international break – two excellent crosses for the Eagles’ goals against Dynamo Kyiv in Lublin – and carried that form into the international break, with the opening goal for Spain against Georgia.
Speaking earlier in the week, Pino told The Athletic: “London is good. I’m adapting.
“Villarreal was my home and I miss it. But I’ve taken the decision to experience this adventure, and I’m really motivated. I’ve got a house already, and my car… I’m feeling good.”
“The Colombians [Jefferson Lerma and Daniel Muñoz] are helping me, Walter Benitez too. And [Jean-Philippe] Mateta, always with his personality. He doesn’t speak much Spanish, but he tries to speak it with me!
“The club also have staff who advise you on good places to live, so I’m settling in well.
“I’ve not got my favourite Spanish restaurant yet. I’ve been pretty busy, just trying to settle in, and then I can try to get to know the city a bit more.”