Arsenal loanee’s team relegated from La Liga | OneFootball

Arsenal loanee Karl Hein remains absent through injury, but Real Valladolid have been officially relegated from La Liga in his absence.

Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images

Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein has been on loan with Real Valladolid in La Liga for the 2024/25 campaign, but he’s been out for the last few weeks with an injury sustained on international duty with Estonia.

Before that, Hein had made 29 appearances in all competitions, missing just two Copa del Rey fixtures against lower-league opponents. But his injury has seen him miss five league games so far.

Photo by MANAURE QUINTERO/AFP via Getty Images

Real Valladolid have lost all five matches, and Thursday’s 5-1 thrashing by Real Betis condemned the team to mathematical certainty of relegation.

With five games remaining in the season, Valladolid sit 18 points behind 17th-place Alaves, the nearest team outside of the relegation zone. Five wins from five wouldn’t even be enough to catch 18th-place Las Palmas.

Only 19th-place Leganes are still technically within reach, but they’re 14 points ahead with 15 points to play for. As well as being relegated, Valladolid are effectively guaranteed to finish bottom of the league.

Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images

There have been some good moments for Hein along the way, including five clean sheets. Even in some of his loan team’s heavier defeats, he was often the one player to come out with some credit.

All the same, it hasn’t been an easy season on an individual or team basis. The main positive is that the goalkeeper had played so regularly before his injury.

Hein will be working to return to fitness for Valladolid’s final games in May, but there are no guarantees he’ll recover in time. Even if he does, with nothing to play for, the team may now start to look towards the future and who will play in goal for them next season.