Luis Rioja
VAL
Cleared to face Athletic Club
Rioja (foot) has received medical clearance and is available for Saturday's La Liga clash against Athletic Club after recovering from lingering heel discomfort, according to coach Javier Aguirre.
Analysis: Rioja has overcome the heel problem that kept him sidelined for Valencia's previous matchup against Racing Santander. The winger had been dealing with discomfort for several weeks and previously attempted to play through the issue against Alaves, scoring the game-winning goal before being forced off after just 20 minutes due to renewed pain. Despite initially returning to team training, Rioja was unable to feature against Racing Santander as the coaching staff continued to manage his recovery. Having now received the medical green light, he is back in contention for Saturday's clash against Athletic Club, although his recent fitness struggles could lead coach Javier Aguirre to manage his playing time carefully.
Ruled out with lingering heel issue
Rioja (foot) has been ruled out for Sunday's La Liga clash against Racing Santander as he continues to deal with lingering heel discomfort, according to coach Javier Aguirre. "Rioja definitely won't make it."
Analysis: Rioja has been struggling with heel discomfort for several weeks despite recently returning to team training. The winger previously attempted to play through the issue against Alaves, scoring the game-winning goal before being forced off after just 20 minutes due to renewed discomfort. Although his return to training initially suggested he could be available against Racing Santander, coach Aguirre has now confirmed he will miss the matchup. The latest setback leaves Valencia without one of its attacking options, with Rioja's availability for the following fixtures dependent on his recovery progress.
Cleared for Racing Santander clash
Rioja (foot) has been cleared for Sunday's La Liga clash against Racing Santander after returning to full team training this week, according to German Munoz of El Partit de la Una.
Analysis: Rioja appears to have overcome the lingering heel discomfort that has bothered him for several weeks, with his return to full training putting him back in contention for Sunday's matchup. The winger previously attempted to play through the issue against Alaves, scoring the game-winning goal before being forced off after just 20 minutes due to renewed discomfort. His availability provides Valencia with another attacking option, though his recent fitness concerns could still influence his workload as he looks to reclaim a regular starting role.
Could return Sunday
Rioja (foot) was limited to the warmup with the squad Tuesday before continuing his recovery separately, though Valencia remain optimistic that he can shake off his lingering heel discomfort in time for Sunday's clash with Racing Santander, according to Diario AS.
Analysis: Rioja remains short of full team training as he continues to battle the heel pain that has bothered him for several weeks, keeping his availability for Sunday's match up in the air. The winger previously tried to play through the issue against Alaves and scored the game-winner before renewed discomfort forced him off after just 20 minutes. Valencia's optimism is a positive sign, but his progress over the remainder of the week should determine whether he's ready to return to the mix.
Dealing with persistent foot pain
Rioja (foot) remains uncertain for the Oct. 11 clash against Racing Santander as he begins a more intensive treatment for persistent heel pain, according to Deportes COPE Valencia.
Analysis: Rioja continues to deal with significant discomfort that has affected him for several weeks, particularly when wearing his boots and putting the foot under competitive load. The winger previously returned against Alaves and scored the winning goal but was forced off after just 20 minutes due to renewed pain. Valencia have not established a timetable for his return, leaving his availability against Racing dependent on how he responds to the new treatment.
Named to bench
Rioja (ankle) is on the bench for Sunday's match against Real Sociedad.
Analysis: Rioja is back in the team sheet for Valencia as they take on Sociedad, with the attacker finding a spot on the bench. He remains more of a rotational pick for the club as a midfield option, starting in one of his three appearances this season between quite a few absences.
Could return against Real Sociedad
Rioja (ankle) could be an option for Sunday's clash against Real Sociedad, according to interim coach Oscar Sanchez. "Rioja has managed to do today's training, he endures the pain and talks about the capacity he has to want to help and bear the pain."
Analysis: Rioja had yet to receive a full diagnosis of his ankle injury, though initial evaluations had already suggested he would avoid surgery or a lengthy absence. His participation in Saturday's team training session, despite the discomfort, offers an encouraging sign, and he could push for a greater role under the new coaching staff after his goal off the bench delivered Valencia's first win of the season against Alaves.
Avoids severe issue
Rioja (ankle) has yet to receive a full diagnosis of his injury, but initial evaluations indicate he won't require surgery or face a lengthy absence, per Radio Marca Valencia.
Analysis: Rioja's exact recovery timeline is not fully revealed by the initial updates, though there's now some optimism that he'll be able to play in the next few weeks. The midfielder's goal off the bench gave Valencia their first win of the season in the recent game against Alaves, and he's likely to push for a greater role following a managerial change, assuming he regains fitness quickly. Otherwise, Arnaut Danjuma, Filip Ugrinic and David Otorbi should be the main choices on the wings.
Scores, suffers injury
Rioja scored the game-winning goal in Tuesday's 1-0 victory over Alaves but also suffered an ankle injury in that sequence, according to A Punt Sports.
Analysis: Rioja will undergo tests to determine whether the injury was severe enough to keep him out of the upcoming match against Real Sociedad on Sunday. Injury aside, the winger stepped up in a time of need and helped Valencia secure their first win of the campaign, coming off the bench to decide the match with a composed finish past Antonio Sivera after an assist from Javi Guerra. This was his first goal of the season.
Option against Alaves
Rioja (ankle) is an option for Tuesday's clash against Alaves, according to interim coach Oscar Sanchez.
Analysis: Rioja had been working on the grass individually as he continued recovering from his ankle injury, an absence that came not long after a separate quadriceps issue and had kept Arnaut Danjuma in a larger role up front. His return to availability now confirms his recovery is complete, positioning him to reclaim a spot in Valencia's attack.
Remains out, but back on grass
Rioja (undisclosed) remains out and is still not training with the team, though he is now working on the grass, according to Radio Esport Valencia.
Analysis: Rioja had already missed the match against Barcelona due to his ongoing injury, an issue that emerged not long after he had returned to training for a separate quadriceps problem. His continued absence keeps Arnaut Danjuma in a larger role up front, though this progression to outdoor work marks a step forward in his recovery process.
Almost certain to miss Barcelona clash
Rioja (undisclosed) remains out of team training with an injury and appears set to miss Sunday's match against Barcelona, according to El Desmarque.
Analysis: Rioja had recently returned to team training for a separate quadriceps issue before this new injury setback emerged, confirming the worst fears about his availability. Valencia's medical bay remains crowded ahead of the Barcelona match, and Rioja's absence will allow Arnaut Danjuma to get a larger role in attack.
Returns to partial training
Rioja (quadriceps) returned to portions of team training Monday as he continues his recovery from a right quadriceps injury, according to Corner Che.
Analysis: Rioja took part in the opening portion of Monday's session with his teammates before continuing his individual recovery work. The winger has made progress since suffering the quadriceps injury in early August, but he has yet to receive medical clearance and is unlikely to be available for Tuesday's clash against Real Betis. His partial return to team training is an encouraging step, with a return to action potentially approaching if he continues to progress without setbacks.
Won't play Saturday
Rioja (quadriceps) won't be an option for Saturday's game against Celta Vigo, according to manager Carlos Corberan. "Rioja and Foulquier are the only two absences who won't be able to help us in the upcoming game."
Analysis: Rioja has been recovering from a right quadriceps injury sustained in a preseason friendly against Stoke City in early August, but this game will come too soon for the versatile winger. His next chance to play will come against Real Betis on Tuesday.
Pushing to make squad vs Celta
Rioja (quadriceps) is working individually with a rehabilitation specialist and has begun ball striking exercises as he pushes to be included in the squad for Saturday's match against Celta Vigo, according to Deportes COPE Valencia.
Analysis: Rioja has been recovering from a right quadriceps injury sustained in a preseason friendly against Stoke City in early August, with Valencia never specifying an exact recovery timeline beyond stating he would continue treatment until clinical improvement was reached. He remained unavailable as of Monday, but this week's training program is being built around at least getting him into the matchday squad for the weekend. Rioja is expected to fall short of the five to six week absence some outlets had floated, a timeline that always looked unrealistic given his recent progress. His accelerated recovery puts him in contention to feature in some capacity against Celta Vigo.
Sidelined for four to six weeks
The player will be sidelined for four to six weeks due to a quadriceps muscle injury, German Munoz reports.
Analysis: Rioja is facing four to six weeks out with a quadriceps injury just as Valencia head into the new 2026-27 season, a tough setback after he established himself as a mainstay on the right wing last year with three goals, six assists, and 31 starts across 37 appearances. His absence to open the campaign exposes a lack of depth at winger, with Ryunosuke Sato and Arnaut Danjuma the only real alternatives currently poised to start. That thin cover adds pressure on Valencia to bring in further reinforcements at the position unless they are comfortable relying on those two for an extended stretch.
Could miss start of season
Rioja (undisclosed) is injured and could miss the start of the 2026/27 La Liga season, according to Nacho Sanchis of A Punt Esports.
Analysis: Rioja finished last season with three goals and six assists across 37 appearances, including 31 starts, establishing himself as a key contributor on the right flank of Valenica. His potential absence to open the new 2026/27 campaign creates urgency for the club to reinforce that position, and Arnaut Danjuma could see more playing time up front if Rioja is indeed unavailable for the opener against Celta Vigo on Aug. 22.
Scores in finale
Rioja scored one goal to go with three shots (one on goal), five crosses (two accurate) and four corners in Saturday's 3-1 win versus Barcelona.
Analysis: Rioja found the back of the net in Saturday's season finale, an unassisted strike in the 71st minute which gave his side a 2-1 lead. It was one of three shots he took in the match and he also created two chances for the third time in his last four appearances. It was a decent campaign for Rioja as he scored three goals and provided six assists across 37 appearances (31 starts).
Can't score but looks active
Rioja generated two shots (zero on goal), one cross (one accurate) and one corner in Thursday's 1-1 draw versus Rayo Vallecano.
Analysis: Rioja was one of several Valencia players who looked quite active going forward despite being unable to find the back of the net. The winger has been a regular starter pretty much all season long for Valencia, and that shouldn't change ahead of the final two games of the 2025/26 league campaign.
Tallies assist
Rioja assisted once to go with one shot (zero on goal), five crosses (one accurate) and one corner in Sunday's 1-0 victory against Athletic.
Analysis: Rioja did his part in the offense, even if only one of his crosses was deemed to be accurate. He got an assist on the winning goal to help Valencia take a step towards staying in La Liga for next season. The midfielder will likely need to be better to have an assist against a Rayo Vallecano team which has allowed 41 goals through 34 La Liga matches.
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