Athletic Club Faces Challenges Ahead of Alavés Match in La Liga

Bilbao, Spain (EFE) — Athletic Club‘s head coach, Ernesto Valverde, has named Oihan Sancet in the squad for this Sunday’s La Liga match against Alavés in Bilbao. The call-up includes 22 players, but star siblings Iñaki and Nico Williams, as well as Beñat Prados, will miss the game due to injuries.

Valverde had anticipated the absences due to the recent injuries affecting his players. Nico Williams has been sidelined with pubalgia, missing the last two matches, while Iñaki’s muscular injury kept him out of Thursday’s Europa League clash at Old Trafford. Prados suffered a serious cut in the recent match against Manchester United.

Sancet also returns from a muscular injury, just two and a half weeks after he had to leave a match against UD Las Palmas. Valverde indicated that if Sancet plays, he will not be available for the entire match.

In contrast, Dani Vivian returns to the squad after missing the last game due to a suspension from a red card in the first leg of the semifinal.

Apart from the injured players, Alex Berenguer and Andoni Gorosabel are also unavailable due to suspensions for accumulating yellow cards. Additionally, Mikel Santos, the reserve goalkeeper, will not participate in the match against Manchester.

Despite these setbacks, midfielders Alejandro Rego and winger Aingeru Olabarrieta remain in the squad after traveling to Manchester, where Olabarrieta even played in the second half. Endika Buján will step in for Iker Varela, who also traveled but is not in the final squad.

The complete list of 22 players called up by Valverde for the match against Alavés includes Unai Simón; De Marcos, Vivian, Paredes, Lekue; Galarreta, Vesga; Djaló, Unai Gómez, Adama; Guruzeta; Agirrezabala; Yeray, Unai Núñez, Yuri; Jauregizar, Sancet, Canales, Sannadi, Rego, Olabarrieta, and Buján.