Defensive issues continue for Real Betis as veteran set for lengthy lay-off following Achilles tendon injury | OneFootball

Following the sale of Luiz Felipe to Al-Ittihad last month, Real Betis were left with two three natural centre-back options in their first team squad: German Pezzella, Marc Bartra and Chadi Riad, who is playing his first season in senior football after joining on loan from Barcelona.

With matches in La Liga and the Europa League in the first half of the season, it meant that Manuel Pellegrini’s options in central defence would be extremely stretched, and unfortunately for the Chilean, they have now decreased even further.

This is because Betis have announced that Bartra has suffered a “partial injury” to his Achilles tendon, which will require surgery to be rectified. As a result, he will out of action for a significant period of time, expected to be well in excess of two months, which was the original diagnosis.

It leaves Pezzella and Riad as the only natural options in the Real Betis squad, although Marc Roca can also fill in when required. For Los Verdiblancos, the January transfer window cannot come soon enough, so that at least one more centre-back can be signed.