Injury Plague at the Start of the League

The start of the new League season has been particularly challenging for teams, with an alarming number of injuries affecting several clubs in just 18 days. To date, 32 players have been injured, adding to the seven who were already out before the season began.

Among the most affected teams is Real Madrid, which suffered three injuries in a single day: Tchouaméni, Ceballos, and Mendy. The most serious case is Ceballos, who could be out for up to two months. In total, the white team has six players sidelined, the same number as Real Sociedad, another club hard-hit by injuries. Out of the 20 teams in the League, only six have not suffered any injuries: Betis, Valencia, Getafe, Leganés, Valladolid, and Las Palmas.

This unusual number of injured players has raised concerns in Spanish football circles. One possible cause cited is that, for the first time, four matchdays were played during August. In contrast, the Premier League only played three matchdays in the same period, which may have contributed to greater wear and tear in La Liga.

Additionally, pre-season preparations have been criticized. Instead of focusing on physical and tactical preparation for the start of the competition, many clubs prioritized commercial commitments, playing high-level friendlies in countries like the United States or Japan. This approach has left players insufficiently prepared to face a demanding season.

The summer was also marked by a busy sports calendar, with events like the Euro Cup and the Olympics reducing rest and preparation time for footballers even further. As a result, players have started the season in less than optimal physical condition, leading to a spate of injuries.

Real Madrid leads the list with six players in the infirmary: Dani Ceballos (ankle sprain), Ferland Mendy (overload), Aurélien Tchouaméni (foot discomfort), Jesús Vallejo (muscle injury), Jude Bellingham (plantaris muscle injury in his right leg), and Eduardo Camavinga (knee sprain).

Real Sociedad also faces six significant absences: Luka Sucic (muscle problems), Ander Barrenetxea (relapse of his ankle injury), Jon Pacheco (hyperextension in his right knee), Hamari Traoré (torn cruciate ligament), Asier Elustondo (sprained left ankle), and Brais Méndez (fracture of the fifth metatarsal). Additionally, Arsen Zakharyan suffered a peroneal tendon rupture in July, and Igor Zubeldia had a left biceps femoris muscle injury but has now recovered.

Villarreal has four key injured players: Gerard Moreno (hamstring contracture), Álex Baena (muscle elongation), Eric Bailly and Nicolás Pepe (muscle injury), along with Alfonso Pedraza who faces physical problems from pre-season. At Barcelona, Marc Bernal (torn cruciate ligament) and Andreas Christensen (Achilles tendon injury) top the list; Fermín López, with the under-21 team, suffered a muscle tear while Ansu Fati, injured during pre-season, has already started training.

Athletic has two absentees: Yuri Berchiche (shoulder injury) and Aitor Paredes (right leg soleus). Before the competition began, Íñigo Ruiz de Galarreta (thigh problems) and Unai Simón (wrist injury) were also injured; however, Nico Serrano (now on loan at Zaragoza), Álvaro Djaló, and Julen Agirrezabala have recovered.

Espanyol has Leandro Cabrera (right leg soleus) and Fernando Calero (right ankle sprain) out of action while Osasuna suffers from Rubén Peña's muscle injury and Iker Muñoz's metatarsal fracture. At Celta, Aleksandar Ristich had calf problems although Luca de la Torre has now recovered.

Other teams with injured players include Atlético de Madrid with Thomas Lemar now recovered; Girona with Yangel Herrera (hamstring injury); Alavés with Hugo Novoa (shoulder injury); Mallorca with Mateu Morey (meniscus injury) and Javi Llabrés (muscle injury); Rayo Vallecano with Pacha Espino's ankle injury; and Sevilla with Suso's internal lateral ligament sprain in his right knee and Albert Sambi Lokonga's hamstring injury.

Leganés and Valladolid had injured players before the season started such as Jorge Sáenz (physical problems) and Anuar (hernia), respectively. Las Palmas has three injured players: Adnan Januzaj and Pejiño (hamstring injuries) and Daley Sinkgraven (right biceps femoris). Valencia also suffers from Fran Pérez's back injury and Sergi Canós' soleus injury.

Amidst this complicated scenario, Betis and Getafe stand out as the only teams that have not suffered any injuries either during the four League matchdays or pre-season—a notable fact in such an accident-prone start to the season.