REAL MADRID
Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal injured: what injury does he have and how long will he be out?
The right-back was forced off at half time against Granada and joins the likes of Vinícius, Courtois and Modric in the treatment room.
Real Madrid’s injury crisis continues to grow with the news that Dani Carvajal is the latest player set for a spell on the sidelines. The right-back underwent tests on Monday morning to assess a calf complaint which forced him off at half time in Saturday’s win over Granada, with results showing he had suffered an injury to his soleus.
Which games will Carvajal miss? When will he be back?
As a result, the 31-year-old is expected to be out of action for around a month, which is likely to see him miss LaLiga fixtures against Betis (away), Villarreal (home), Alavés (away) and Real Mallorca (home), the last Champions League group stage game at Union Berlin and Round of 32 of the Copa del Rey. The hope is that Carvajal will be fit to return for the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup against Atlético Madrid on 10 January.
Carvajal already missed two matches earlier in the season - away to Ateti in LaLiga and the first Champions League game against Union Berlin - because of muscle strains. His absence is likely to see winger-turned-full-back Lucas Vázquez have a run in the team after he came on for the second half against Granada.
Vinícius and Modric among high-profile injury victims
In addition to Carvajal, seven other first-team players are currently in the Real Madrid treatment room: Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militão (both ACL tears), Eduardo Camavinga (knee ligament damage), Aurélien Tchouaméni (metatarsal stress fracture), Luka Modric (thigh strain), Arda Güler and Vinícius Júnior (both thigh muscle tears).