Betis confirms two new injuries in their defense

Real Betis Balompié

The Verdiblanco team loses two key players after the match at Carlos Tartiere against Oviedo. Cucho Hernández will be out for around three weeks and Junior Firpo for at least a month. Ángel Ortiz is progressing well and could return in just over a week.

Initial tests confirm a small tear in Cucho's anterior rectus muscle, while Junior suffers his third muscle injury of the season. Ortiz, on the other hand, was just a scare.

Cucho Hernández asked for a substitution due to discomfort, and the initial examinations point to a small tear in the anterior rectus muscle, with an approximate recovery time of three weeks. Within that timeframe, he would miss, at a minimum, the matches against Elche (01/14), Villarreal (01/17), PAOK (01/22), Alavés (01/25), and Feyenoord (01/29). Following those are matches against Valencia (02/01) and Atlético (02/08), as well as the Copa del Rey quarter-finals (02/04) and the first leg of the semifinals (02/11). In this scenario, Betis will need to adjust its attacking line while facing direct rivals and Villarreal amidst a busy schedule.

Medical Report

31

Junior Firpo
600.000€-60.000€    -

J1

DF

10

24

Ángel Ortiz
790.000€-60.000€    -

J1

DF

00

Junior Firpo will be out for at least a month due to a new muscle injury, his third of the season. The full-back made his comeback on December 6 against Barça: he came on in the 60th minute for Natan and, in the 89th minute, had to be replaced by Ricardo after feeling discomfort again. It's a double blow for the left side, losing depth and coverage during a demanding period.
In contrast, Ángel Ortiz isn't injured: he just has a minor strain, so he should be available in a little over a week. His return will bring freshness to the rotation and balance in midfield, according to the coaching staff.

Immediate Schedule

The list of absentees requires a reorganization of roles and precise management of workloads. Without Cucho and Junior, the coaching staff will need to prioritize effort management in a series of key matches —Liga, European competitions, and Copa— where every point and clash counts. Meanwhile, Ortiz's progress is seen as crucial to gain alternatives in midfield and sustain the plan without risking further injuries.