Athletic Team News - Soccer

Dani Vivian - Set to miss season opener Vivian (hamstring) was once again the notable absentee from Athletic Bilbao's training group Tuesday, and barring a last minute change, is expected to miss Saturday's season opener...

Impact Vivian continues his recovery from a right adductor longus insertion injury that has sidelined him since mid July. The center back's setback has kept him out of group training as Athletic fine tune their preparations ahead of hosting Sevilla at San Mames this weekend. Vivian is expected to remain out until he's fully recovered, with no clear return timeline given at this stage. Yeray Alvarez is expected to start at center back in his absence.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Benat Prados - Available for Atalanta friendly Prados (knee) is on the bench for Friday's friendly match against Atalanta.

Impact Prados dealt with a knee issue for much of the preseason, but the central midfielder is on the bench and will be an option for the final game before the start of the 2026/27 league campaign. Prados was limited to just two games in 2025/26 after sustaining an ACL tear in August, but this is an encouraging sign for his potential availability for the league opener versus Sevilla on Aug. 22.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Andoni Gorosabel - Returns to team training Gorosabel returned to team training Tuesday after missing Athletic Club's preseason friendlies due to adductor injury, according to bilbaohiria.

Impact Gorosabel has been dealing with an adductor injury in his right leg since the start of pre-season, one that Athletic's medical staff first flagged as moderate on July 6 and initially expected to sideline him for roughly two weeks, a timeline that stretched all the way to 36 days before his return to group training this Tuesday. Missing every friendly and being restricted to individualized work for that long points to a recovery that took longer than anticipated, even though being back with his teammates now is a genuine step forward. That progress, however, has no bearing on his future at the club, since Athletic remain open to moving him on this summer, with Jesus Areso and Hugo Rincon both ahead of him for minutes on the right side of defense.

AUGUST 11 • ROTOWIRE

Aymeric Laporte - Ready for new season Laporte is back at Athletic Club's training ground to prepare for the new season, according to the club.

Impact Laporte made 25 appearances in his return to Athletic Bilbao last season, contributing one assist and helping the team to one clean sheet in a leakier defensive campaign. He capped that with a standout World Cup for Spain, starting all eight matches in a title winning run that saw the team concede just one goal, leading the squad with averages of 1.9 interceptions and 3.6 clearances per game. His return to club training now shifts focus to preseason preparations as he looks to build on that momentum heading into the new 2026/27 La Liga season.

AUGUST 10 • ROTOWIRE

Unai Simon - Back at Athletic Club Simon is back at Athletic Club's training ground to prepare for the new season, according to the club.

Impact Simon made 37 LaLiga appearances last season, keeping six clean sheets while conceding 54 goals for a 12th place Athletic Bilbao side. He capped his season by lifting the World Cup with Spain, winning the Golden Glove as the tournament's best goalkeeper after finishing with 10 saves, seven clean sheets and just one goal conceded across eight matches. His return to club training now shifts focus to preseason preparations as he looks to carry that momentum into the new 2026/27 La Liga season.

AUGUST 10 • ROTOWIRE

Nico Williams - Back with Athletic Club Williams is back at Athletic Club's training facilities to prepare for the new 2026/27 La Liga season, according to the club.

Impact Williams was limited by recurring groin issues for parts of last season, finishing with six goals and three assists across 25 LaLiga appearances. He capped his season with a strong contribution at the World Cup for Spain, providing the assist for Ferran Torres' decisive goal in the win over Argentina, part of a tournament in which he became an important piece as his fitness improved over the final matches. His return to club training now shifts focus to preseason preparations as he looks to build back toward full health heading into the new 2026/27 La Liga campaign.

AUGUST 10 • ROTOWIRE

The Staggering Price Athletic Has Put on Laporte The future of Aymeric Laporte has once again become a talking point in the transfer market, although everything suggests that prying him awa...

AUGUST 2 • BEINSPORTS.COM

Benat Prados - Dealing with knee issue Prados did not train with the group Thursday, an absence that drew attention after grabbing his left knee during Wednesday's friendly against Racing Santander, though the club has...

Impact Prados underwent surgery on that same knee at the start of last season and missed almost the entire campaign as a result, so any discomfort in the area is being watched closely. He was able to finish the friendly against Racing Santander, which had initially been read as a positive sign, and his absence from training the following day appears to have been treated internally as a minor scare rather than anything serious, though further clarity should emerge in the coming days.

JULY 31 • ROTOWIRE

Maroan Sannadi - Plays 30 minutes in return Sannadi (knee) played 30 minutes in Wednesday's 3-0 friendly win over Racing Santander, according to the club.

Impact Sannadi had been diagnosed with a left knee injury, and his involvement in this match marks a positive step towards building his full fitness ahead of Athletic's LaLiga opener against Sevilla on Aug. 22. He made just 10 appearances last season, totaling 281 minutes with one goal, remaining behind Gorka Guruzeta in the pecking order at forward for the Basques.

JULY 30 • ROTOWIRE

Nico Serrano - Returns in friendly Serrano (hip) came off the bench during Wednesday's 3-0 friendly win over Racing Santander.

Impact Serrano entered the game in the 60th minute to replace Robert Navarro. The young forward had suffered a minor injury earlier this month, but seeing him log minutes in preseason suggests he should be ready to be an option going forward. That said, he's expected to be a depth option in Athletic's attack in the 2026/27 season, so his fantasy appeal won't be very high even if he stays healthy.

JULY 29 • ROTOWIRE

Aymeric Laporte - Posts three clearances in victory Laporte registered one shot (one on goal), three clearances and two interceptions in Sunday's 1-0 victory over Argentina.

Impact Laporte put in a fine effort over 99 minutes of play, helping his national team to yet another clean sheet in an extra-time win over Argentina. He started in each of Spain's eight matches during an impressive World Cup run in which they allowed only one goal. Over that period, he also ranked first and second on the squad with averages of 1.9 interceptions and 3.6 clearances per game, respectively.

JULY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Unai Simon - Earns clean sheet versus Argentina Simon made no saves and secured a clean sheet in Sunday's 1-0 win versus Argentina.

Impact Simon didn't manage to make a save as the Argentinian attackers lacked good aim during the World Cup final, though the keeper still made some important runs that prevented the opposition from getting clear chances in front of goal. His final numbers across the entire tournament included 10 saves, seven clean sheets and an impressive record of one goal conceded in eight matches played. He'll look to remain a consistent participant for both club and country following a short rest ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

JULY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Nico Williams - Assists off bench in WC finale Williams assisted once to go with three shots (two on goal), five crosses (one accurate) and two corners in Sunday's 1-0 win versus Argentina.

Impact Williams gave a speed and dribbling boost to his team's attack after taking Alex Baena's place in the second half against Argentina. The Athletic Bilbao man missed a good chance but made up for it by heading a ball back for Ferran Torres to score the decisive goal in the 106th minute. Coming off a tricky groin injury, Williams struggled to regain fitness at the beginning of the World Cup, and his role increased gradually over the final contests, and the assist was his lone goal contribution in 108 minutes of play. At 24 years old, he's already an important part of Spanish football history with his participation in World Cup and European Championship titles, remaining an elite dribbler and playmaker ahead of future seasons.

JULY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Dani Vivian - Dealing with hamstring injury Vivian has been diagnosed with a right hamstring injury, the club announced Thursday.

Impact Vivian underwent tests Thursday morning, and the results revealed a hamstring problem, but the extent of the injury isn't known yet. Vivian should compete for steady playing time at center-back if healthy, but he should have plenty of time to recover since the 2026/27 Liga season will start in late August, with Athletic playing their first match against Sevilla on Aug. 22.

JULY 16 • ROTOWIRE

Maroan Sannadi - Diagnosed with knee injury Sannadi has been diagnosed with a left knee injury, the club announced Thursday.

Impact Sannadi is expected to be a depth option in Athletic Club's attacking line, but in normal conditions, he shouldn't see a ton of minutes. Further tests will be needed to determine when Sannadi will be able to return to training, but even in the best-case scenario, this absence shouldn't affect many fantasy decisions once the 2026/27 Liga season starts in August. Athletic Club open their campaign against Sevilla on Aug. 22.

JULY 16 • ROTOWIRE

Aymeric Laporte - Records four clearances in win Laporte registered four clearances and two interceptions in Tuesday's 2-0 win over France.

Impact Laporte did a good job in the middle of a back line that earned its sixth clean sheet in seven games, doing so in the most difficult of those contests so far. Despite some ups and downs in terms of clearance numbers, he has been a valuable contributor throughout the competition, making at least one interception in each of his seven starts and averaging 75.9 accurate passes per match.

JULY 14 • ROTOWIRE

Unai Simon - Big clean sheet against France Simon registered three saves and secured a clean sheet in Tuesday's 2-0 victory against France.

Impact Simon rose to the challenge when required and was also helped by Spain's excellent defensive performance and a disappointing day for the French attackers. Prior to this match, the goalkeeper had yet to make three or more saves in a single game during the World Cup, but he finally reached that mark while adding to an impressive total of six clean sheets over seven appearances. Up next is the championship matchup, where his run of form will be put to the test again regardless of who wins the remaining semifinal.

JULY 14 • ROTOWIRE

Nico Serrano - Suffers minor muscle injury Serrano is dealing with a minor muscle injury in his left rectus femoris and was unable to participate fully in team training, the club announced.

Impact Serrano picked up a mild muscular issue in his left thigh that limited his involvement in training sessions. While the injury is not believed to be serious, the winger's status will depend on how he responds to treatment in the coming days. Further updates on his availability are expected as the club continues to monitor his recovery.

JULY 13 • ROTOWIRE

Aymeric Laporte - Makes two clearances in win Laporte had one tackle (one won), two clearances and one interception in Friday's 2-1 victory over Belgium. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 93rd minute.

Impact Laporte had another quiet outing, and he's tallied just three clearances, two interceptions and one tackle in his last two starts. Despite the subpar fantasy numbers, Laporte should keep his place in the XI to face France on Sunday. He's the most experienced piece of a defense that has allowed just one goal through six World Cup matches so far.

JULY 10 • ROTOWIRE

Unai Simon - Unbeaten record comes to end Simon registered one save and allowed one goal in Friday's 2-1 win versus Belgium.

Impact Simon was beaten late in the first half after Charles De Ketelaere nodded in a perfect cross from close range, a goal that ended his all-time unbeaten record in World Cup action. However, he didn't have much work after that. Simon looked a bit rattled in the second half, particularly when he had to play with his feet, and he nearly committed a mistake that would've given Belgium a late equalizer. Simon should remain between the posts for the semifinals against France on Tuesday.

JULY 10 • ROTOWIRE

Nico Williams - Fit for quarterfinal Williams (groin) is fit for Friday's quarterfinal against Belgium, according to Diario SPORT.

Impact Williams was on the bench for Spain in the round of 16 but didn't play, still not completely fit. However, the winger now appears to be fully fit, leaving him to be an option for the starting XI in future games. That said, he could earn a starting role on the left wing of the attack as Spain advances in the tournament, as he was a major part of their Euro run in 2024.

JULY 9 • ROTOWIRE

Aymeric Laporte - Quiet against Portugal Laporte generated one clearance in Monday's 1-0 win against Portugal.

Impact Laporte was locked up much of the game despite usually having the ball at his feet to start the attack for Spain, as he was tightly marked most of the match, only completing 37 passes. However, he would still help his team earn a fifth straight clean sheet, notching one clearance during the win. The veteran should remain a significant part of the defense moving forward as they eye another clean sheet in the quarterfinals.

JULY 6 • ROTOWIRE

Unai Simon - Another clean sheet Simon recorded two saves and secured a clean sheet in Monday's 1-0 win against Portugal.

Impact Simon was excellent for Spain once again, as he made two saves to hold Portugal from scoring and earn yet another clean sheet. That said, he now has five clean sheets in Spain's five World Cup matches, having yet to allow an opposing team to score. He will now prepare to face Belgium or the USA in the quarterfinals, likely eyeing another clean sheet as Spain continues a historic defensive run.

JULY 6 • ROTOWIRE

Nico Williams - Picked for bench Williams (groin) is on the bench for Monday's match against Portugal.

Impact Williams is back with the team as expected following a groin injury, fit enough to take a spot on the bench. This will give the Spanish team a very useful super-sub from the bench, likely to enter in the later stages of the match. If at his best, he could be a real danger to Portugal, especially in a tight contest that could see extra time.

JULY 6 • ROTOWIRE

Oihan Sancet - Back in preseason training Sancet returned to preseason training with Athletic Bilbao after missing the end of the 2025-26 campaign due to a hamstring injury, according to the club.

Impact Sancet appears to have recovered from the hamstring issue that sidelined him for the final weeks of last season. The attacking midfielder was included among the players reporting for the start of preseason preparations under new coach Edin Terzic, an encouraging sign for his availability heading into the new campaign. His return gives him a full preseason to rebuild fitness and sharpen his form after an injury-disrupted finish to the year. Sancet remains one of the squad's most influential attacking players when healthy and should be expected to play a prominent role if he avoids further setbacks.

JULY 6 • ROTOWIRE

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