Jesús López Returns to Training with Xelajú After Collarbone Fracture

One photo on the grass at Estadio Mario Camposeco was enough to spark excitement in Quetzaltenango. Jesus "Chucho" Lopez stepped back onto the field this Tuesday, ball at his feet, wearing the expression of someone starting to see light at the end of a recovery that was anything but easy.

It all began two weeks ago, in the match against Luis Angel Firpo for the 2026 Concacaf Central American Cup. That day, "Chucho" fractured his collarbone, and his participation in that tournament, and much of the rest of the season, was thrown into doubt. Since then, the midfielder has been fully focused on his recovery, with one clear goal: to return as soon as possible and get back to the level he had been showing while wearing the Xelaju MC jersey.

The club itself shared the news on social media and made no secret of its excitement to have him back near the group:

Chucho is back. Amid the day's work at Estadio Mario Camposeco... an image that brings hope: the return of Jesus Lopez, progressing in his recovery process after surgery.Xelaju MC

That said, expectations should not get ahead of themselves. According to the club's medical report, the injury was a fracture of the middle third of the right collarbone, and the estimated recovery time is around eight weeks. That means "Chucho" still has a month and a half of work ahead of him before he is at one hundred percent and able to compete again with Xelaju in the 2026 Apertura Tournament. What happened this Tuesday was just the first visible step in a process that will depend on how he progresses in upcoming medical checkups.

His absence carries weight because Lopez had earned a starting spot in Roberto Hernandez's scheme. Born in Mexico but with Guatemalan roots, the midfielder previously played for Municipal and Comunicaciones before landing at the "lanudo" club. So far in the 2026 Apertura he had racked up four matches and 254 minutes on the field, along with one yellow card, numbers that reflect the role he had carved out for himself on the team.

Xelaju Sets Its Sights on the Local Tournament

Already out of the Central American Cup following elimination, Xelaju MC has poured all its energy into the Guatemalan championship. The team sits in fifth place with 10 points, the product of three wins, one draw and two losses, an uneven campaign but one with room to right the course.

The next match comes in matchday eight, when the club hosts Coban Imperial on Thursday, September 10, at 8:00 p.m., once again at the Mario Camposeco. With "Chucho" still unavailable, the challenge for Roberto Hernandez will be to keep the team's performance steady while the midfielder patiently completes his comeback.