Odriozola suffers ACL tear after reclaiming starting spot | OneFootball

Álvaro Odriozola, 30, has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Real Oviedo. The Real Sociedad right-back had just reclaimed his place and will miss the rest of the season.

According to AS, his situation flipped after months out of favour. Last summer he even seemed set to leave. Used sparingly by Imanol Alguacil and later Sergio Francisco, he featured only in two Copa del Rey ties and 57 league minutes before Pellegrino Matarazzo arrived in January and picked him for seven games after Christmas.

His medical record is lengthy from Real Madrid to his return to Donostia. Past problems included a fractured collarbone in 2019, a calf injury in 2020 and other muscle and knee issues. Since rejoining La Real he has missed 167 days through injury.

He had felt he was beyond that ordeal, especially after scoring at Montjuïc against Barcelona in the first half of the season. He reflected on the hellish months and delighted in finally showing his daughters he could race down the Anoeta flank again.

His absence leaves La Real short at right-back for the run-in. With Iñaki Rupérez still out after meniscus surgery in November from a pre-season friendly against Bournemouth, Jon Aramburu is the only specialist and Aritz Elustondo must cover. It is a major setback before the European push and the Copa del Rey semi-final return with Athletic Club, when a La Cartuja final place is on the line.

Source: AS