REAL MADRID
Real Madrid injury update before LaLiga game against Sevilla: Rüdiger, Bellingham, Joselu, Carvajal, Camavinga...
Carlo Ancelotti is short of numbers for Sunday’s game against Sevilla, with seven Madrid players out through injury or suspension.
After it was confirmed on Friday that striker Joselu has suffered an ankle injury that will keep him out for around three weeks, Real Madrid will be down to the bare bones for Sunday’s LaLiga game at home to Sevilla.
Courtois, Militão and Alaba progressing well after ACL tears
Long-term injury victims Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militão and David Alaba will again be absent, although the Belgian and the Brazilian are nearing the end of their recoveries from ACL tears. Courtois has already taken part in training sessions with his teammates this week, with Militão expected to follow suit next month. The former Porto centre-back has done plenty of running and some ball work, although he stills needs to be cleared by the club’s medical staff to return to group training. No setbacks are anticipated with either player.
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Alaba is also make good progress in his recovery from a similar injury and has been continuing his daily rehabilitation at Real Madrid City. The Austrian, however, won’t play again until next season after suffering his ACL rupture several months later than his two teammates.
When will Joselu and Bellingham be back for Real Madrid?
Joselu and Jude Bellingham were the other two players absent from Madrid’s last training session before they face Sevilla. As mentioned, the striker will be out for about three weeks after suffering swelling around his right ankle. The Englishman, meanwhile, is still on the mend after also suffering an ankle issue against Girona two weeks ago; it is hoped Bellingham will return in Los Blancos’ next game away to Valencia on 2 March.
Carvajal and Camavinga suspended for Sevilla
And to make matters worse for head coach Carlo Ancelotti, Dani Carvajal and Eduardo Camavinga will also miss out against Sevilla due to suspension. The former was sent off deep into injury time against Rayo Vallecano last weekend, while the latter was shown his fifth yellow card of the season in Vallecas and has incurred a one-game ban.
Real Madrid’s possible starting lineup against Sevilla
As a result, Ancelotti has only 16 first-team players available for Sunday’s game. Madrid are likely to line up as follows: Lunin; Vázquez, Rüdiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Kroos; Rodrygo, Brahim and Vinicius.
That would leave Kepa, Fran García, Modric, Ceballos and Arda Güler on the bench.
Rüdiger returns: how many games did he miss?
The good news for Los Merengues is that Antonio Rüdiger is fit to return in defence alongside club captain Nacho. The German center-back has fully recovered from the quad muscle injury that kept him out of Madrid’s last four games (LaLiga fixtures against Atlético, Girona and Rayo, and the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against RB Leipzig).
Rüdiger wasn’t quite ready to feature last weekend but has trained fully this week and will resume his partnership with Nacho, with Aurélien Tchouaméni set to move back into midfield.
With just 16 players available, academy players Jacobo Ramón, Jamie Calleja, Ángel Carvajal and Borja Alonso trained with the first team this week. In the end, only Jacabo has made Ancelotti’s 19-man squad for the game, along with Real Madrid Castilla goalkeeper Diego Piñeiro and striker Álvaro Rodríguez.