Big news dropped from the Spanish football scene this Wednesday. William Carvalho, the Portuguese midfielder, won’t be joining Real Betis for their pre-season trip. The team is heading to the Algarve in Portugal from July 9 to 17. His name was missing from the list of players traveling.
This isn’t just about a player skipping a trip. It feels like the end of an era for Carvalho at Betis. Spanish newspapers are already buzzing with talk that he’s working on leaving the club. It’s a tough spot for a player who once stood tall as a European champion with Portugal in 2016.
Manuel Pellegrini, the Chilean coach for Betis, named 33 players for the camp. But Carvalho, now 33 years old, wasn’t among them. His recent journey has been a battle. Last September, he faced a serious setback, tearing his Achilles tendon in his right leg. He only returned to the field on March 16.
Since coming back, the powerful midfielder has struggled to nail down a regular spot. He started only six of the fifteen games he played after his injury. Four of those starts happened before he got hurt. It shows just how difficult it’s been for him to regain his form and a key role in the team.
While Carvalho’s future hangs in the balance, Real Betis will be busy in Portugal. Their camp in Almancil, in the Algarve, includes a special triangular tournament on July 19. They’ll face off against Portuguese clubs Farense and União de Leiria. Each match in this tournament will be a quick 45 minutes.