So many injuries can't be a coincidence

This season Real Madrid's first team squad has been plagued by muscular injuries. Since the beginning of the 2015/16 LaLiga season the club have suffered on 22 occasions with players out of action due to muscle problems. For any team aiming to win the league title this poses a major problem. Cristiano Ronaldo touched on this subject in his declarations after last Saturday's home defeat in the Madrid derby as he complained about the poor season his side are undergoing and he made reference to the lack of proper planning at the beginning of the campaign. On previous occasions we've commented on the importance on a good pre-season for any squad and how it can be fundamental in the subsequent prevention of injuries as the season evolves. Last season certain members of the Barça squad complained openly about their pre-season and on Saturday Cristiano did the same.

Football club marketing executives are now more focused on revenue streams from lucrative foreign tours than proper preparatory pre-season activity and they must bear the brunt of the blame in this case for Real Madrid's plague of injuries. The latest casualty being Benzema, with a tear in his femoral bíceps which will see him out of action for roughly three weeks. If he's under pressure to return to action too soon, then we could have another Gareth Bale case on our hands. Clubs need to let their medical teams carry out their work without pressure in the knowledge that it's in everyone's interest that player's are back in action as fast but as fit as possible. The time has come to look elsewhere for the real culprits.