Valencia’s César Tárrega Avoids Serious Injury: Initial Assessment Shows Mild Sprain

Valencia breathes a sigh of relief following the knee assessments of César Tárrega. Initial examinations suggest that the central defender has not sustained a serious injury; rather, he is likely dealing with a mild sprain that could keep him out of action for two to three weeks, as reported by Radio MARCA Valencia. The club is expected to release an official medical report on Monday.

Tárrega suffered the injury during the match against Getafe. He required medical attention in the 26th minute due to a knee issue. The injury occurred after he executed a diving header clearance in the penalty area, leading to pain in his left knee upon landing. Although he initially attempted to continue playing with a strong bandage on the joint, he quickly realized returning to the field was unfeasible.

In recent weeks, the Aldaia native had been playing with discomfort in his right knee, which is why he was benched against Celta. Consequently, his training loads had been managed carefully. Following the match at Coliseum, Carlos Corberán provided an update on Tárrega’s condition and expressed concern over the initial assessment of his knee: “He had swelling in one knee, and during a turn, he felt discomfort in the other. We will monitor his progress, but it’s not a pleasant situation,” he stated in a post-match interview with Dazn.

Later, during the press conference, Corberán elaborated: “Swelling can cause discomfort until the body absorbs it. It’s not a traumatic injury that worsens, but he has been playing through pain since Gijón [the Copa match against Sporting on December 16]. Today’s injury is in the opposite knee.”

The team is facing increasing challenges in the central defender position, as evidenced during the match against Getafe. Following Tárrega’s injury, Pepelu was positioned as a central defender. Corberán noted that Comert was on the bench but unable to play due to hip issues identified during a physical test on Sunday morning. The Swiss defender had notably finished the Copa match against Burgos with a visible limp, raising concerns about a muscular issue: “Comert’s injury is not related to the hamstrings, but to the hip. This affects blood flow to the hamstring tendon, necessitating a different recovery approach. He faced difficulties, which is why he was not included in the lineup,” Corberán concluded.