Real Madrid: Toni Kroos to miss start of season through injury
Real Madrid have confirmed that Toni Kroos will undergo treatment for a pubic bone issue, meaning the midfielder could be on the sidelines for several weeks.
Real Madrid's injury problems are mounting in pre-season with Toni Kroos joining Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal and Eden Hazard in the treatment room ahead of the Liga season kick-off on 13 August. In the case of the German midfielder, a diagnosis of pubalgia - a groin injury that tends to have a slow recovery process - has caused concern among Madrid's medical staff. While it is uncertain how long Kroos will be out of action he is expected to miss the first few league games of the 2021-22 season and could be unavailable until late September giving Carlo Ancelotti a fresh headache as the Italian prepares his squad for the new campaign.
Kroos decides to seek treatment
"After several month of problems on my pubic bone i think its time to give it a rest and work on it to be well prepared for a long season. Back asap as always." Kroos wrote on social media. The midfielder has proven himself to be a durable member of the squad and has only missed 29 games through injury across seven seasons since his arrival at the Bernabéu from Bayern Munich in 2014. His longest recovery time to date was 28 days due to a fracture in his right foot picked up during a game Leganés.
Whether Kroos will have to undergo surgery to repair the problem remains unclear but there is cause for optimism if that is the case: Xabi Alonso had a similar issue in 2013 but after an operation he was back on the pitch after a month and a half of recuperation. Leo Messi and Sergio Ramos have both had pubalgia issues in the past but opted for non-intervention treatment such as anti-inflammatories and rest.
Madrid concerned by Kaká issues
However, Real Madrid's concern stems from the problems Kaká had while at the club. The Brazilian attacking midfielder signed from AC Milan in 2009 as one of the most coveted players in world football after winning the Ballon d'Or in 2007 but he arrived with pubalgia issues and rarely reached those heights again during several seasons of injury struggles.