Athletic Club dealt triple injury blow after Liverpool double-header – defender out for season | OneFootball

Athletic Club paid a visit to Anfield on Monday as part of their preseason preparations, but came away with their morale dented – and not because of their double-defeat. Los Leones will be without three players after they picked up injuries on Merseyside.

Liverpool won the first encounter between the two in a double-header 4-1, with Gorka Guruzeta on the scoresheet. That was a largely second string line-up for both Ernesto Valverde and Arne Slot, while the second game featured more starters. That was 3-2 win for the hosts, with Cody Gakpo scoring three times, but once for Athletic, and Oihan Sancet also on the scoresheet.

Oihan Sancet to miss the start of La Liga season

Sancet did not finish the match though, coming off with a knee ligament issue. There was a breath of relief when it transpired that it was the lateral ligament and not the cruciate, but Sancet will still be out for a month of action, as per Diario AS. That will see him out of their opening three games at least against Sevilla (H), Rayo Vallecano (H) and Real Betis (A).

Image via Deia / E.P

Unai Egiluz: Out for the season

Promising central defender Unai Egiluz was coming off the back of an imperious campaign for Mirandes on loan, and had real hopes of becoming part of the rotation for Valverde this season. However Egiluz, 23, did suffer a cruciate ligament injury, and will now miss the rest of the season, as confirmed by Athletic – a crushing blow for the Lezama product.

Benat Prados and Yuri Berchiche updates

Veteran left-back Yuri Berchiche, who is no stranger to injuries, was also forced off, but no injury has been detected in more positive news. Similarly for Benat Prados, he has a thigh strain, but like centre-back Aitor Paredes, who is also out injured, is expected to be fit for their season opener on the 17th of August.