Dani Carvajal to miss Euro 2016, Del Bosque banking on Bellerín
Dani Carvajal is going to miss Euro 2016 after limping out of the Champions League final with Real Madrid, Monday's medical tests revealed, Arsenal's Hector Bellerín is next in line.
When Dani Carvajal limped out of Saturday's Champions League final in tears, he must have known what Monday's medical tests have confirmed. A right thigh injury will keep the dynamic wing-back out for three weeks, meaning he'll be unavailable for Euro 2016.
One man's pain is another's gain as Arsenal's Hector Bellerín, previously in the squad as back-up to Dani Carvajal, will now vie for that right wing-back position with Villareal's Mario Gaspar as first choice for Vicente del Bosque.
Here is Carvajal's medical report as published on realmadrid.com:
The Spanish side kick off the defence of their Euro crown on June 13 against the Czech Republic, and with Carvajal's recovery time estimated at about 3 weeks, he will not feature for La Roja in this tournament.
Carvajal was forced to abandon the pitch at the San Siro stadium in minute 50 with the final still tilted 1-0 in Real Madrid's favour. "It was a tough moment, I wanted to play on, having to leave the game because of an injury was hard to take, the only consolation was that the lads told me they were going to win it for me", said the Real Madrid wing-back during the Undécima celebrations.
As attentions turn to the national European competition in France, Del Bosque will put his faith in Arsenal's Hector Bellerín, who is still only 21 but who's had an outstanding season as an attacking wing-back with Arsenal.
Del Bosque spoke on Sunday about Bellerín: "I thought of Mario (Gaspar), but we have to be clear in our ideas when we prepare this tournament, for that reason Bellerín will stay until we hear the extent of Carvajal's injury".
Tuesday is the day set by UEFA for the final 23-man squad lists to be handed in, and the manager will make the list of players who will not travel public.