What injuries has Arda Güler had since joining Real Madrid? How many games has he missed?

Arda Güler has been cursed by bad luck since moving to Real Madrid from Fenerbahçe in the summer. The Turkish youngster has become something of a social media sensation, with his tricks, flicks and long-range strikes in training going viral, but we’ve yet to see him pull on the famous white jersey in an actual game of soccer. Just when it seemed as if he could be set to make his debut in LaLiga against Valencia on Saturday, he’s been struck by injury. Again.

Güler’s knee injury during pre-season US tour

This is third separate occasion on which the 18-year-old has broken down a matter of hours before potential making his first appearance for the LaLiga giants. After joining the club for an initial €20 million ($21.35 million) in July, Güler was taken on Madrid’s pre-season tour of the United States, only to miss all four matches after suffering a knee injury in one of the first stateside training sessions.

And not just any knee injury. The attacking midfielder tore his meniscus and, having not shown much improvement in the weeks that followed, was eventually forced to undergo surgery to remove pieces of it. The operation went well and Güler was then pencilled in to play in the home game against Las Palmas on 27 September, with Ancelotti revealing in his his pre-match conference the Turk would potentially be involved.

Attacker breaks down hours before potential Madrid debut vs Las Palmas

No sooner had the Italian turned off his microphone than news came through the youngster had suffered a thigh injury and would be out of action for three to four weeks, a cruel blow on the eve of his possible debut.

Madrid then decided not to take any risks with the summer signing and ease into first-team action. Those three-to-four weeks turned into slightly more “just in case”, with the additional time used to help Güler start bulking up for the physical demands of elite-level soccer.

Güler on the bench against Rayo and Braga

But Los Blancos’ caution has ultimately made little difference, although the Turkey international’s latest setback will have been the hardest one to take. Güler has had a real taste of what it means to be a Real Madrid player in the last two matches, in which he has made the matchday squad and been named among the substitutes.

Ancelotti opted not to throw him on as his team desperately untried to lock Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga last weekend, although Wednesday’s comfortable 3-0 win over Braga in the Champions League seemed like the ideal opportunity to dip Güler’s toes in.

What is Güler’s latest injury and how long will he be out?

And in a case of third time unlucky, the teenager has once again been struck by the injury curse. On Friday, it was revealed that he had now suffered a third separate issue - a quad problem - and was expected to be absent for another month.

“Before the game against Braga, it seemed like nothing, but it’s still bothering him. It’s not a serious thing. The player is feeling down because he wants to play. It’s a small setback... It’s not a relapse of the old injury and we have the whole [international] break to get him back stronger,” Ancelotti told the press.

Since joining Real Madrid, Güler has missed all 16 competitive games this season (12 in LaLiga and four in the Champions League), a number which will increase over the next few weeks.