Ernesto Valverde has ruled Iñaki Williams out of the first leg of Athletic Bilbao’s Europa League tie on 30th July after the forward sustained a muscle injury during the club’s friendly match with Xolos de Tijuana in Boise, USA.
“We think he might have a muscle strain. I’m no doctor but I imagine he won’t recover in time for the first leg,” said Valverde after the match at Albertsons Stadium. 21,500 fans watched the game, many of them Americans with Basque ancestry.
The club’s medical team has reported that Williams suffered “a muscular injury in his left hamstring.” The injury will be evaluated again after tests when the player returns to Bilbao tomorrow lunchtime.
Valverde said that “barring the injury everything has been perfect” on the club’s US tour. The tour was organised by the Boise Basque Centre to mark Jaialdi 2015, an annual cultural festival celebrated by descendants of Basque immigrants to the United States.
“It’s hard for us to imagine when we’re in Bilbao that we have such support so far away. It’s hard to explain. This match was a big moment for all those involved and Iñaki’s injury aside everything went very well. We’re delighted,” he added.
The coach made clear that though “there will of course be one or two changes” he has more or less decided his starting XI for the first leg of the Europa League tie against either Hafnarfjordur (Iceland) or Inter Baku (Azerbaijan).
The team that lined up against Xolos featured Iraizoz; De Marcos, Gurpegui, Etxeita, Balenziaga; Iturraspe, Beñat, Eraso; Susaeta, Williams and Aduriz.
“We still have two more games next week, against Betis and Valladolid. What worries me most are injuries. Losing a player like Williams is a big problem. But for now we have ten days to go and we are where we need to be.”