Valencia's defensive woes deepen as Iranzo sidelined with knee injury
Rubén Iranzo suffers internal lateral ligament sprain while Thierry returns to training and Foulquier deals with muscle discomfort ahead of Real Madrid clash.
Valencia’s defensive options continue to shrink as academy product Rubén Iranzo becomes the latest casualty in what’s becoming a proper injury nightmare for the club’s backline.
Iranzo’s injury blow
The club confirmed on Saturday that Iranzo has suffered an internal lateral ligament sprain in his right knee during Friday’s training session at Ciudad Deportiva de Paterna. The young defender, who filled in at right-back during the Copa del Rey match against Burgos, now faces an uncertain recovery timeline.
Medical staff have outlined a therapeutic plan combining medical treatment, physiotherapy and rehabilitation until his clinical progress allows him to rejoin team training. The injury occurred during a session for players who weren’t in the starting XI against Athletic Club in the Copa.
Initial concern within the dressing room was significant, with fears of a complete ligament tear. Thankfully, early examinations ruled out the worst-case scenario, though the sprain will still cause considerable pain, swelling and functional instability.
Right-back crisis looming
With Iranzo sidelined, Valencia’s right-back situation grows increasingly complicated ahead of their clash with Real Madrid. The club’s options at the position have been further affected by:
- Thierry Rendall - Completed the final training session and could make the squad list, though likely starting on the bench as he only rejoined group training this week
- Dimitri Foulquier - Trained separately in the gym due to ongoing muscle discomfort, putting his availability in question
Should Foulquier be unavailable, manager Corberán might be forced to switch to a three-centre-back system given the lack of natural right-backs at his disposal.
Recovery timeline
Valencia haven’t provided a specific timeframe for Iranzo’s return, stating it will depend entirely on how his recovery progresses in the coming weeks. The young defender will remain under medical supervision at Paterna while working through his rehabilitation programme.
This injury setback comes at a particularly challenging time as Valencia prepare to face the league champions with a depleted defensive unit.