Athletic Bilbao lose Spain international Laporte for two months with a hamstring injury

Madrid, Dec 10 (IANS) Athletic Club Bilbao suffered a significant injury blow on Wednesday as Spain international Aymeric Laporte was diagnosed with a severe hamstring injury. The defender was forced off in the 33rd minute of Saturday 1-0 home win over Atletico Madrid after falling awkwardly.

The club issued a brief medical update on Wednesday morning, noting he underwent an MRI scan yesterday [Tuesday].

Following further tests... it has been confirmed that the player has suffered a severe muscle injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg. The defender has begun his recovery process and is awaiting further tests, concludes the communique.

Athletic did not give a timeline, but the nature of the injury suggests an absence of around two months, ruling Laporte out of January Spanish Supercup, Champions League games against Paris Saint-Germain, Atalanta, and Sporting Lisbon, and several La Liga fixtures.

The setback, combined with Yeray Alvarez suspension until April for a doping violation linked to a hair-loss product, leaves coach Ernesto Valverde with only two senior central defenders, Dani Vivian and Aitor Paredes -- and Paredes is suspended for Wednesday game against PSG.

Since returning to the club in the summer after two seasons in Saudi Arabia, Laporte has been almost ever-present for Valverde, with his form earning a recent recall to the Spain squad for World Cup qualifying.

Born on May 27, 1994, as Aymeric Jean Louis Gérard Alphonse Laporte in Agen, France, he represented his country of birth at the youth level before shifting allegiance to Spain because he is of Basque descent through his great-grandparents. The centre-back

Laporte made his first La Liga appearance on December 9, 2012, playing one minute in a 1–0 home win over Celta Vigo. He was named in the starting line-up the following week, helping Bilbao defeat Mallorca.

He played for Manchester City from 2018 to 2023 and then joined Saudi side Al Nassr from 2023 to 2025 before returning to Athletic Bilbao before the start of the 2025-26 season.

--IANS

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