Josep Calavera has become the sixth Hercules player to be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign after picking up an injury. The midfielder, currently on loan from Tenerife, will not feature again this season due to a torn quadriceps muscle that is expected to take three to four weeks to heal. With only two matches left, his absence is less critical, but Hercules are still fighting for a place in the 2026–2027 Copa del Rey – a consolation prize that, given the season’s struggles, should not be dismissed lightly.
Medical scans revealed a fibrillar tear in his thigh affecting the quadriceps. The club’s medical staff estimate the tissue will need three to four weeks to fully recover, which means he cannot play again before the season ends on May 23. Since arriving in January, Calavera has been a regular starter under coach Beto Company, appearing in 14 matches, 12 of them from the start. Although he has not fully unlocked his potential, he has convinced the coach, who would be open to keeping him for the next campaign.
The player is on loan from Tenerife and must return to the island once his loan ends, where he still has time left on his contract. However, Tenerife’s promotion as champions of Primera Federación Group 1 under Álvaro Cervera could make it easier for him to stay in Alicante. Cervera had used Calavera when healthy earlier in the season, but he was never a nailed‑on starter, and after midfield reinforcements, his importance dwindled. Hercules, for now, are not interested in paying a fee to keep him, but his profile fits the sporting committee’s preferences – which include the Valencian coach himself. The hope is to extend his stint in Alicante, having him start preseason with the club, because a positional midfielder of his type is needed to execute Beto’s playing style. The club is determined to avoid a long negotiation like the one in January, when Tenerife held out until the last moment. If a deal is to happen, it should be concluded shortly after the campaign ends.
Nacho Monsalve is almost certain to miss the trip to Algeciras. He also sustained a quadriceps injury, though in his case it was a contusion rather than a tear. He experienced difficulty putting weight on his leg and was substituted just before halftime. The team already has seven confirmed absentees: Calavera, Soldevila, Sotillos, Javi Jiménez, Colomina, Toril, and the suspended Ben Hamed, who must serve a one‑match ban after picking up his tenth yellow card of the season – the first Hercules player to reach that mark twice in the campaign. Monsalve could become the eighth.
