In a match that stretched Villarreal’s winless run to five games with a 2-2 draw against Osasuna on Saturday, January 31, 2026, head coach Marcelino García dropped a revealing and uneasy update about Thomas Partey’s absence from the squad.

Marcelino confirmed after kick-off that Partey, the Black Stars midfielder whose signing initially sparked excitement, was missing due to discomfort in his pubic area, a condition the coach said required rest rather than risk aggravation.

“We will be without Thomas Partey because he is experiencing discomfort in his pubic area,” Marcelino explained.

The injury concern comes amid a turbulent spell for the 32-year-old.

Partey was substituted at half-time in Villarreal’s 3-0 Champions League loss to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, which prompted public frustration from Marcelino, who suggested the midfielder has not shown the level of output expected of him since his arrival in Spain.

Thomas Partey plays through pain amid criticisms

These remarks have reportedly contributed to a strained relationship inside the camp.

Sources close to the player indicate that he has been battling severe pubalgia, a chronic groin and lower-abdominal condition, for weeks, often pushing through pain rather than sitting out, which may explain the dip in his form that frustrated his coach.

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