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It has already been a difficult pre-season for Los Blancos, but it might get harder now. Madrid are set to lose defender Eder Militao through a knee sprain that was picked up during a 2-0 victory over Athletic Club. The Brazilian left the pitch in tears after he felt his knee, and Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti confirmed later that it was a sprained knee and that the situation did not look good. Notably, this is the fifth major injury picked up by a Madrid player, and is cause for serious concern given how early in the season it is.
The 14-time European Cup winners are currently short on depth in the center back. While they have world class options such as Antonio Rüdiger on the bench, it is difficult to imagine that Carlo Ancelotti’s side will not struggle to keep up as their thin squad competes in three different tournaments. Madrid not only have to play multiple La Liga games but also have a plethora of Champions League fixtures coming up, owing to the format change. The Madrid giants will hope that Militao will not be out for an extended period.
Ancelotti in the post-match interaction informed, “Militao has suffered a sprained knee. It doesn’t look good.” When asked if it could be an ACL injury, Ancelotti added that nothing could be ruled out at this early stage and further medical tests were needed.
Fifth major injury for Madrid as squad runs thin
This is the fifth potential first team player to be out with a long-term injury. Midfielder Arda Güler, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, defender Ferland Mendy, and attacking midfielder Dani Ceballos are all out with serious injuries. Güler might be out for the season with a major injury to his meniscus, while Thibaut Courtois is out for months following an ACL tear. Ceballos and Mendy are out with hamstring issues.
Madrid have been forced to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan in order to fill in for Courtois while the Belgian is out. With two defenders now out through injury, Madrid might have to look back into the market for a short-term replacement.
