Muscle injuries piling up as Mendy becomes latest victim

The muscle injuries continue to rack up for Real Madrid this season, with Ferland Mendy becoming the latest to join the list of players unavailable to Zinedine Zidane ahead of the clash with Osasuna on Wednesday.

The club has confirmed that the French defender has suffered an injury to his adductor in his left leg – the same injury that has kept Luka Modric out of action since before the Levante game on September 14.

Muscle injuries at Madrid reach 10 since pre-season

Since the start of the preseason, there have already been ten players registereed with muscle injuries at the Bernabéu. In fact, this is the second muscle injury that Mendy has had to face since joining the club in the summer.

Aside from Mendy and Modric, the list of players to suffer muscle injuries this season include Brahim Diaz, Rodrygo, Isco, Eden Hazard, James and Marcelo.

Last season the squad was in the hands of two separate fitness coaches: first was Oscar Caro under Julen Lopetegui, and then Antonio Pintus, who returned with Santiago Solari and contunued in his position under Zidane. 

On Pintus’ watch, the club suffered a dire start to 2019 in terms of the number of injuries, and in the early stages of this season, that situation has not been rectified by new fitness coach Gregory Dupont, was brought in by Zidane to replace Pintus in the summer.

Problems at left back ahead of Atléti clash

With Mendy and Marcelo major doubts for the crucial derby against Atlético on Saturday, Zidane is left with a huge headache at left back for the trip to the Wanda Metropolitano.

There is a glimmer of hope that Marcelo could make a speedy recovery before the weekend, but the Brazilian has continued to train away from the main group so far this week.

In Mendy and Marcelo’s absence, Nacho is set to start at left back against Osasuna on Wednesday and could continue there at the Wanda on Sunday should Marcelo fail to pull through.