Betis: Diego Llorente returns to the group, with Bartra and Ruibal absent

Diego Llorente returned to the Betis group on Wednesday in a session also marked by the absence of Marc Bartra, Aitor Ruibal and the international players. The first team resumed work after two days of rest granted by Manuel Pellegrini following the draw at Riazor. The Chilean coach and several members of his staff used the break to complete part of the Camino de Santiago.

Llorente’s return was the main new development. The Madrid-born centre-back, who had missed the latest matches, returned to work on the pitch after fracturing the bones of his nose in a heavy collision with team-mate Marc Roca during the Liga match against Real Madrid at La Cartuja. He had trained for several days wearing a protective mask, but discomfort had ruled him out of his team’s Champions League opener in Lille and the three domestic-league matches played last week.

This time, Llorente trained without a mask and appeared to do so normally alongside his team-mates. Academy player Rodrigo Marina was also present, another new face in the session.

Marc Bartra did not take part in group work but trained individually. The Catalan centre-back was substituted in the match against Deportivo de la Coruña after suffering hamstring discomfort, although medical tests ultimately ruled out an injury. He nevertheless joins Aitor Ruibal in the treatment room, with Ruibal continuing his recovery after undergoing meniscus surgery last May, once qualification for the Champions League had been secured.

The international players were already absent from the morning session. Valentín Gómez, with Argentina; Álvaro Fidalgo, with Mexico; Abde, with Morocco; Facundo Bernal, with Uruguay; Troy Parrott, with Ireland; Junior, with the Dominican Republic; and Ortiz, with Spain’s under-21 side, will be away in the coming days. Gio Lo Celso, however, was with the squad and will travel to Argentina later to take part in Leo Messi’s farewell match with the Albiceleste.