bad news for francisco. medical tests conducted by fidel chavez have revealed a thigh fiber rupture, which will prevent him from reaching the technician soon. elche cf expects a recovery window of two to three weeks.
the on-loan huelva winger will miss monday’s match at 20:00 against almería and possibly the next fixture as well. elche is aiming for franjiverdes to be ready for the fourth day clash. the encounter is set for sunday, august 27 at 17:30 against real sociedad, with a return to la cerámica stadium to face villarreal scheduled for sunday, september 4 at 18:30.
fridel had to be substituted in last monday’s game against betis at benito villamarín (3-0). he played the opening minutes but experienced discomfort that led to muscle strain. the elche player did not train all week and faced ongoing recovery work.
the absence of the winger from on high in huelva is joined by the absences of gonzalo verdú and john chetauya, which means francisco may not be available for the almería match. the center-back from cartagena is recovering well after pubic surgery with tenotomy on the right adductor. doctors initially predicted a recovery of around two months, yet the captain of elche is progressing rapidly. he trained at the díez iborra court of ciudad deportiva juan ángel romero yesterday, performing continuous running drills and ball work. if current progress continues, he could be ready to play within two to three weeks.
john chetauya will be in action against almería despite a disciplinary sanction stemming from a red card in the season opener against almería, taking place in the 15th minute.
raul guti is also being monitored for a suspected muscle issue that prevented him from traveling to seville for the season opener. the zaragoza midfielder has begun light training with the group, but his inclusion on the squad remains uncertain. his fitness will be reassessed on saturday and sunday as the situation unfolds.
there is notable improvement among pastor and lucas boye. the argentine midfielder has been training for ten days at a pace close to his teammates and has shown positive responses. francisco even indicated he could be available for the betis match. a week later, his odds of joining the squad for the clash with almería have increased.
lucas boyé is in a similar situation. the striker, who joined the squad this week, has also shown good form, though he has been doing extra sessions to strengthen the adductor, which prevented him from participating in preseason. sunday’s sensations will determine his involvement in the almería call-up.