Real Sociedad Prepares for Training Amid Injury Concerns

Real Sociedad will return to training on Monday as they monitor the recovery of three players who experienced minor injuries during the international break: Aritz Elustondo, Jon Mikel Aramburu, and Ander Barrenetxea. Notably, Barrenetxea’s injury from the derby over two weeks ago is believed to have been merely a knock. The imminent return of Jon Karrikaburu, Yangel Herrera, Orri Óskarsson, and Iñaki Rupérez appears to be more complicated.

The latest player to face injury concerns was Aritz Elustondo, who felt some muscle discomfort during last Tuesday’s training session, preventing him from participating in the match for Euskadi against Palestine. If the issue is indeed minor, he should be fit to rejoin Sergio Francisco’s squad by Monday or Tuesday, as the team is expected to return to Zubieta, although this has yet to be confirmed by the club.

Coach Sergio Francisco is also keeping an eye on Jon Mikel Aramburu, who missed the recent match against Venezuela due to a head injury sustained in his last game against Elche ten days ago. The coach hopes Aramburu will be able to train normally once again.

Sergio previously indicated that Barrenetxea’s substitution before halftime in the derby was due to a hit; however, it is noteworthy that the winger has now gone two weeks without training with his teammates. It remains to be seen if he can participate in training this week or if he will miss the important Saturday fixture against El Sadar, which holds significant implications for avoiding the relegation zone.

For that match, it appears that Jon Karrikaburu, Yangel Herrera, and Orri Óskarsson will still be unavailable. The first two players are entering their fourth week of rehabilitation from muscle injuries sustained on April 24 and 26, making a return seem premature. Óskarsson, meanwhile, suffered a setback a month ago from a previous muscular tear that had sidelined him for six weeks, so it remains uncertain if he will require a similar timeframe to regain fitness.

Finally, Iñaki Rupérez has been absent from the pitch for over three months, and there has been little information provided regarding his situation.