Athletic Club Faces Injury Setbacks Ahead of Key Matches

omidbasir- Athletic Club returns to La Liga facing unfavorable news for coach Valverde. The team is set to lose Sancet, one of the scorers against Sporting de Portugal, due to injury. The young player, who was poised to regain his best form, exited the Champions League match shortly after the start of the second half. Medical examinations conducted on Thursday have revealed a moderate hamstring injury in his right leg. Consequently, he will miss both the derby against Real Sociedad and the upcoming quarter-final Copa del Rey match against Valencia.

The situation is further complicated as the team approaches the important match against their txuriurdin rivals. Both Sancet and Iñaki Williams are ruled out, while Vivian is dealing with a muscle overload. Additionally, the physical condition of Nico and Laporte remains uncertain. Nico was absent during the match against Sporting de Portugal, and Laporte has not played since suffering a significant muscle injury on December 6. Both players trained at Lezama during the midday session alongside those who played fewer minutes in the Champions League. The team will also be without long-term injured players Maroan, Prados, and Egiluz. Yeray is expected to start training with the group in a week, although his UEFA suspension will last until April, and Lekue is serving the second match of his ban following a red card received against Mallorca.

Sancet had an impressive first half against Sporting de Portugal, scoring his first goal of the season and contributing to the team’s fluidity. Unfortunately, he requested to be substituted shortly after the second half began and will now focus on recovery. This marks his third injury of the season, following a ligament sprain that sidelined him for 17 days and another muscular issue that kept him out for 14 days. Last season, he spent a total of 95 days on the sidelines due to three muscular injuries and a significant ankle sprain.