Real Madrid faces a squad crisis following the Madrid derby

Real Madrid keeps facing difficulties with player availability as two additional injuries occurred during the Madrid derby with Atletico, causing coach Xabi Alonso to face a severe shortage in defense.

Right from the 4th minute, Eder Militao needed medical attention following a heavy collision on his calf. Despite trying to continue, the Brazilian center-back was unable to finish the match and had to leave the field after the first half. At the end of the game, he limped off the pitch supported by Carvajal. According to The Athletic, Militao reported pain and discomfort in his left ankle and is expected to undergo a detailed examination on Sunday to determine the injury’s severity.

Ironically, Carvajal, who helped Militao off the field, also sustained an injury during the same match. The veteran Spanish defender is said to have pain in his right leg and will undergo medical checks. This likely means Carvajal will miss the upcoming Champions League match against Kairat next week.

These losses are a real headache for Alonso since Real Madrid has already been playing without several key defensive players. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rüdiger, and Ferland Mendy are all sidelined due to injuries. If both Militao and Carvajal fail to recover in time, Alonso will be forced to rotate his lineup. It is predicted that Raul Asencio might be moved to right-back, while Aurélien Tchouaméni will likely drop back to play as a center-back.

The Madrid derby at Metropolitano was full of drama. Real Madrid fell behind early but managed to come back to lead 2-1 in the first half. However, consecutive defensive errors combined with Atletico’s brilliant performance led Los Blancos to suffer a heavy 2-5 defeat, their worst loss of the season so far.

The Madrid derby saw Real take a 2-1 lead in the first half but then collapse 2-5 against Diego Simeone’s best-performing team this season. After the match, Alonso openly admitted:

“We are not satisfied with this performance. Mistakes cost us dearly. This is a tough period, but we must find ways to improve and regain the competitiveness we need. Today, we did not deserve more, and Atletico punished us accordingly.”

Despite the heavy loss, Real Madrid still temporarily leads La Liga with 18 points after 7 rounds. However, this position could be overtaken by Barcelona if they win against Real Sociedad in the Sunday night match.

Related articles

Mbappe reacts angrily after Real Madrid’s heavy defeat to Atletico Mbappe stormed off directly to the tunnel after the heavy loss to Atletico Madrid, refusing to shake hands with opponents or thank fans, clearly showing his disappointment with Real Madrid. See more