Barrenetxea breaks down and misses the World Cup: the hardest blow for Real and the player

Real Sociedad

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Ander Barrenetxea
7.690.000€-430.000€    4

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MD

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The Real Sociedad has received the worst possible blow just as the season was coming to a close: Ander Barrenetxea, one of the team's most in-form players, is out due to a left long adductor injury… and everything points to him also saying goodbye to the World Cup. A drama for him, for Real, and for Luis de la Fuente.

The afternoon at Montilivi was going smoothly… until it wasn’t. Half an hour into the match against Girona, Barrenetxea felt a twinge, raised his hand, and asked to be substituted. A bad sign. And what seemed like a minor scare was confirmed this Friday: left long adductor injury. Quick translation: season over and the World Cup practically impossible.

The Donostiarra was in full form, freshly debuted with the senior national team and included in De la Fuente's famous preliminary list of 55 players. He was genuinely in the running to go to the World Cup. But football is like this: a misstep, a bad move, and goodbye to a dream he had been working on for months.

Pellegrino Matarazzo already hinted at it after the match: “He’s in pain”. And when a coach says that, you know things are not looking good. Pablo Marín came on in his place, but the emotional blow to the team was clear.

Real, already short on players, loses a key player right at the final stretch. And Barrenetxea, who was having his best year yet, misses out on the big prize. A monumental setback.

Now it’s time for recovery, patience, and coming back stronger. But it hurts...