LYuri’s injury creates more concern than was initially anticipated. The full-back had to leave the match against Barcelona on October 22 due to a bruise on his fibula that had been fractured in May by an ugly tackle by Carvajal. The Zarautz player has not trained with the team since the match against Barcelona and Valverde cannot consider when he will rejoin the group.. “It is a situation that has caught us off guard because it is a small relapse of what it had before,” explained the Athletic coach this Friday in Lezama. The medical report offered by the club days after he received the kick from Carvajal (“what he had before”) explained that he suffered a fracture in the proximal third of the right fibula.”
The winger, whom Valverde also considered in his day as a possibility to play as a central defender, He has missed the games against Valencia, Rub, Villarreal and will not play this Friday against Celta. Athletic will now rest from the competition through the FIFA window, but the evolution of the injury does not ensure that Yuri will be able to be in the LaLiga return against Girona (November 27).
Athletic is short of troops at the back, especially in the central line, because Yeray is also out after an operation on his adductor. Looking ahead to the imminent duel with Celta, the team is awaiting Paredes’ recovery, who has worked during the week at a slower pace than the group due to the low back pain he suffered last week. The central defender entered yesterday at the same pace as the group and it is expected that he will also do so this Thursday. Valverde has been questioned about the contingency in the center backs and if he missed Nuez, since last season at Celta. “He arrived here and made it clear that he wanted to go to Celta. And we wish him the best.”
The call against the team coached by Rafa Bentez may have two new features compared to the last victory in Villarreal: Ral García and Ander Herrera. The first did not travel due to a back bruise and is already training with the rest of the group. Herrera was injured the same day as Yuri, in the warm-up for the game against Barcelona, and has not yet completed a full session. “We’ll see….With Ander we are cautious,” Valverde added.