Good news for Valverde with three days to go before the league visit of Barça. Nico Williams and Vesga, two of the lions who stayed in the cotton wool due to their respective physical problems, came out yesterday to train with the rest of their teammates in the morning session held in Lezama. Ruiz de Galarreta, for his part, is also in group dynamics, similar to Nolaskoain.
Yeray, who underwent surgery yesterday for his new adductor injury, and Iñaki Williams, back home after his participation with the Ghana national team in the second FIFA break of the season, were the only squad members absent from the session this training. The striker, who started Tuesday’s friendly against the USA and was substituted in the 75th minute, will work with his teammates again starting tomorrow, as the Gasteiztarra coach gave his players a day off today. .
We will have to wait, therefore, to see how the now Athletic right winger returns and how his brother and Vesga evolve in the coming hours. Everything seems to indicate that the first two could be in position to be called up for Sunday’s clash in Barcelona. The matter of the midfielder from Gasteiz is not very clear at this point of the week.
Nico Williams, if you remember, had to go home early from his stay with the Spanish team. The Athletic footballer was left out of the squad against Scotland due to an injury to the left intercostal muscles, an injury which prevented him from hitting the ball normally. Since last Saturday, in any case, he is under the supervision of the medical staff of the red-and-white club.
What about Vesga, from far away. The Gasteiz midfielder was substituted in the 64th minute of the league match against Getafe played in San Mamés on the 27th of last month and since then he has not featured again. The club reported a few days later that his withdrawal was due to a chest contusion.
Doubts
In anticipation of the clash against Barça in Montjuïc and at the expense of the physical condition of the players mentioned, the main doubts about Athletic’s lineup seem to affect the midfield. At the back, unless there is a surprise or unforeseen event, it will be normal to see Unai Simón starting the action with the defense consisting of De Marcos, Vivian, Paredes and Yuri. The rest of the lines are not so clear.
With a double pivot, at the expense of Vesga and how Galarreta is, they may both start, alone or Valverde once again opts for the Dani García-Ander Herrera tandem. Since then, everything depends on what Williams does to have new developments at one or both extremes with Sancet and Guruzeta, of course, at the center.
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.
