Berenguer blow for Athletic as Copa del Rey clash looms
Athletic Club face injury concerns ahead of their Copa del Rey fixture against Ourense, with Berenguer training separately and Robert Navarro racing against time to be fit.
Ernesto Valverde’s men prepare for cup action with key attacking midfielder still nursing troublesome foot injury.
Squad update ahead of Ourense trip
Athletic Club are gearing up for their Copa del Rey opener against Ourense with a few headaches on the injury front. The Basque outfit will be taking the competition dead seriously this season - it’s no secret the famous old trophy is high on their priority list.
Alex Berenguer was notably absent from Tuesday’s group training session as he continues to battle a persistent toe problem that’s been giving him gyp all season. The 29-year-old has been soldiering on, often playing with injections and through discomfort, but was spotted working separately from his teammates at Lezama.
After netting against Atlético Madrid recently, Berenguer admitted he’d been “playing quite limited” with the issue affecting his rhythm. Valverde had previously revealed the player was hampered by “a bone edema that he’s gradually resolving.”
Injury list growing
The treatment room at Athletic is getting a bit crowded, with several players currently on the sidelines:
- Yuri Berchiche
- Aymeric Laporte
- Egiluz
- Maroan
- Prados
Meanwhile, summer signing Robert Navarro is cutting it fine with his recovery timeline. The former Real Sociedad attacker has been training separately after suffering an ankle sprain against Levante in late November.
Navarro won’t make the cup tie and faces a race against the clock to be available for the Espanyol match. For him to get the all-clear before 2025 ends, he’d need to rejoin full training between Friday and Sunday.
Cup ambitions
Despite coming off a league defeat to Celta Vigo and that Champions League draw with PSG, Athletic won’t be taking their Primera Federación opponents lightly. Ourense have already claimed two impressive scalps in the competition, knocking out both Oviedo and Girona.
Valverde is expected to field a strong lineup at O Couto stadium, signaling Athletic’s intent in a tournament they’ve historically excelled in. The Lions know this represents one of their best chances for silverware this season, and they’ll be desperate to avoid becoming Ourense’s next victim.