Athletic defender Dani Vivian ruled out after tests confirm muscle injury

Athletic Club said on May 14 that defender Dani Vivian will be sidelined after medical tests confirmed an injury suffered in the club's 2-0 LaLiga defeat at Espanyol a day earlier. The Bilbao club said Vivian has a sprain of the lateral collateral ligament in his right ankle and did not give a timetable for his return. Vivian was substituted at halftime in Barcelona, where Athletic lost 2-0 on May 13. The injury leaves Ernesto Valverde with another fitness issue as Athletic head into their final two league matches of the season. ### What exactly did Athletic say about Vivian's injury? Athletic Club said in a medical report published on May 14 that tests on Dani Vivian confirmed a sprain to the lateral collateral ligament in his right ankle. The club added that the defender's condition is "pending evolution," a formulation it regularly uses when no return date has been set. (athletic-club.eus) The May 14 report also said Vivian had been replaced at halftime of the match played the previous day in Barcelona. Athletic did not say in that statement whether surgery or a specific rehabilitation period would be required. ### When did the problem arise? Barcelona was the site of the match in which Vivian was forced off, with Athletic trailing Espanyol in a game they eventually lost 2-0. (athletic-club.eus) Match reports and live coverage show Pere Milla scored in the 69th minute and Kike Garcia added a second in stoppage time after a scoreless first half. Wednesday, May 13, was also the date of Valverde's post-match warning about the team's position. (athletic-club.eus) The Athletic coach said after the defeat that "we're very concerned" and added that the team could not be complacent in its remaining league matches. ### How crowded is Athletic's injury list? May 12 brought another Athletic medical update, with the club's news page listing a Yuri Berchiche medical report one day before the Espanyol match. (365scores.com) The same page also listed a May 11 medical report covering Nico Williams and Oihan Sancet, indicating Vivian's absence comes alongside other recent fitness problems in the first-team squad. Athletic's official website did not provide, in the material reviewed, a combined injury bulletin setting out all expected return dates. (athletic-club.eus) The public sequence of club updates nonetheless shows multiple first-team players had medical reports issued in the days immediately before Vivian's. ### How much has Vivian played this season? Dani Vivian's player page on Athletic's website lists 39 appearances in all competitions in the 2025/26 season, including 29 in LaLiga and six in the Champions League. (athletic-club.eus) The same page describes him as a central defender and one of the club's established first-team players. Athletic's Spanish-language player profile lists Vivian with 189 official appearances for the club overall. (athletic-club.eus) That total underlines his regular role in the side before the latest setback. ### Which matches could he miss next? LaLiga's fixtures page lists Athletic's next match as a home game against Celta on Sunday, May 17, followed by an away game at Real Madrid on Saturday, May 23. (athletic-club.eus) Those are the only two league fixtures shown remaining on the schedule reviewed on May 15. San Mames will host the Celta match, according to Athletic's home page, which also carried the club's Vivian medical report among its latest first-team updates. (athletic-club.eus) Athletic have not announced a return date for the defender before either fixture. (athletic-club.eus) (laliga.com)