FIFA Virus Strikes Villarreal, Part Two: Estupiñan injured in Ecuador win

More bad news for Villarreal. Pervis Estupiñan came off the pitch injured today. Ecuador (playing at altitude) defeated Uruguay 4-2 in a CONMEBOL qualifier for the World Cup. I wasn’t watching on TV, but Javi Mata was, and he reported:

“Estupiñán ha fet un centro a l’àrea i ràpidament ha demanat el canvi, ja que pareix que ha notat algo en la part posterior de la cama (crec dreta) Ha eixit amb llitera del camp, pero una volta fora ja ha anat a peu al vestidor, tot apunta a problema muscular casi segur”

which translates as “Estupiñan made a cross in the area and quickly asked for the change, it looked to me as if he noticed something in the back of his leg (I think the right). He left the field on a stretcher, but once off the pitch he walked to the locker room, everything points to a muscular problem, without doubt”.

I can’t imagine he will be examined in Vila-real before Thursday or even Friday, but it seems pretty clear he’s got some sort of muscle pull or tear that is likely to keep him out through the next international break.

Unai Emery will have to rely on either Jaume Costa or Alfonso Pedraza to play at left back, I should think. Meanwhile, Juan Foyth did not get on the pitch for Argentina in their (high-altitude) win at Bolivia, which, given that two of our players have been injured in this international break, is probably just as well.