Bartra avoids an injury and will follow an individual plan

Good news for Marc Bartra and Real Betis: as MARCA reports, tests after the centre-back had to leave the pitch with hamstring discomfort in Sunday’s match against Deportivo La Coruna have ruled out an injury in the hamstrings.

Alarm bells in Riazor

The issue surfaced in Riazor almost right after kickoff. Bartra came close to scoring with an acrobatic volley from a set piece, but in the 12th minute—after taking a knock—he began to feel discomfort in the hamstring area and couldn’t continue. Pellegrini replaced him immediately with Valentín Gómez.

Individual work during the break

According to MARCA, the club’s examinations confirm there is no muscle damage. Still, Betis’ medical staff and coaching team have decided to make use of the three-week international break by setting up an individualized training plan for Bartra. The goal is for him to shake off the discomfort completely and regain his best physical condition gradually, without rushing since there’s no immediate league action.

This is particularly important for Betis given their defensive situation. MARCA points out that Diego Llorente had already been out for a couple of weeks, and a longer absence for Bartra would have left Pellegrini with just two first-team centre-backs: Natan and Valentín Gómez—both left-footed. On top of that, Llorente travelled with his national team during the break.

A return after the FIFA date

Betis will proceed cautiously. With the diagnosis as it stands, MARCA says the club expects to have Bartra back for the league restart after the FIFA window, unless any setback appears during his recovery.