Athletic started preparing yesterday for the opening match in the Liga against Valladolid in Zorrilla. The lions, who enjoyed a rest day on Tuesday, returned to activity in Lezama without any good news. As seen this morning in Lezama, Oihan Sancet is Valverde’s only new thing ahead of the upcoming league match at the Pucelano stadium.
The midfielder from Navarra, who was dropped against Barça on Sunday due to the dismissal suffered against Rayo in Vallecas, will return to the rojiblanco coach’s team for the Valladolid event and will certainly be the starting eleven himself. The remaining absentees against Barça last Sunday, including Adu Ares, were unexpected. None of them, at least, worked yesterday with the rest of the team in the outer field.
Unai Simón, in this way, will cause another descent. The international goalkeeper, who, being injured, could not appear in the first list of Luis de la Fuente as Spanish coach, was replaced at half-time in the league match in San Mamés against Girona and from then on the only thing that happened . about his physical condition is that he suffers “an injury to the right Achilles tendon.” Agirrezabala, barring a last-minute surprise or unexpected turn of events, will again answer for the fifth consecutive day
Other Athletics injured players are also continuing their recovery process. Ander Herrera, Lekue and Morcillo still have a long way to go, although for the former, based on what he has experienced since his return to Bilbao, the recovery periods should be shorter.
Doubts
Valverde will not have much time to prepare the visit to Zorrilla at the grass level. The visit is very important for Athletic, because if they don’t win, they will see how the marching teams located in the European zone will go further. The reaction of the lions, who from the competitive break caused by the celebration of the World Cup in Qatar have added only nine of the 33 points in dispute, cannot wait any longer.
Considering Agirrezabala’s ownership, the doubts surrounding a possible rojiblanco starting eleven centered on each of the remaining lines. Yuri, who started on the bench on Sunday against Barça after a physical problem that appeared a week before the visit to Vallecas, has worked with the group until this week. Not, therefore, that Balenziaga will repeat at left-back. We also need to be helpful to De Marcos’ state
Another question is whether Vivian will once again join Iñigo Martínez at the back or it will be Yeray, who seems to have recovered from the inconvenience suffered against Girona, who will do so.
From there, depending on the men selected to form the double pivot, the picture becomes clearer.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
