Real Madrid: Sergio Ramos out for a month with calf injury
The Real Madrid captain is believed to have suffered a muscle tear and could be out for up to a month. He will miss both of the Liverpool games and El Clásico.
Zidane has recovered players returning from the international break and continues preparations for Saturday's league game against Eibar. Courtois and Modric appear to have overcome their fitness problems but the same cannot be said for Sergio Ramos, who has suffered another muscle tear injury. It is a severe setback for Madrid. The captain did not take part in today's session, and exercised apart in the gym after coming on as a late sub in Spain's World Cup qualifier against Kosovo in Seville. But soon afterwards, the club announced that Ramos has suffered a calf muscle injury. Diaros AS understands that he faces up to a month on the sidelines.
"Following the tests carried out today on our captain, Sergio Ramos, by the Real Madrid medical department, he has been diagnosed with a muscular injury to the internal calf in his left leg. His recovery will be monitored" Real Madrid explained in a statement.
The 35-year-old centre-back will miss the Eibar game and crucially, both legs of the Champions League quarter final against Liverpool as well as El Clásico against Barcelona on 10 April.
Ramos has been struggling with injuries during the final year of his contract with Madrid - this is the fifth injury he has suffered this season. He has missed 18 games due to various fitness issues and underwent surgery to trim the meniscus in his left knee at the start of February. This latest injury is bound to open up a debate about why he joined up with the Spain squad for the recent World Cup qualifiers against Greece, Georgia and Kosovo when he had only just come back from injury and was dropped from the squad for the Celta match at Balaídos on 20 March - Madrid's last game before the international break after spraining his ankle in training.
Late sub against Kosovo
Ramos came on for the final five minutes against Kosovo last night, even though Spain were 3-1 up. He explained afterwards that it was coach Luis Enrique's decision to bring him on to replace Eric García on 85 minutes. "The difficult thing about leaders is that they are leaders in any situation. When they are substitutes, in the stands, and from there I decide what is best for the team. I want to reward a player who for me deserves to beat all the records," the Spain coach said.