Real Madrid Shattered into Pieces

Real Madrid, still reeling from their defeat to Barça in the Copa del Rey final, faced a grim Tuesday. News first broke of Antonio Rüdiger's surgery, followed by confirmation of Ferland Mendy's injury, and finally, it was revealed that David Alaba would also require knee surgery. Within 24 hours, Carlo Ancelotti lost three players, doubling the number of injured players at the Valdebebas training ground.

This is a significant blow that seriously jeopardises Real Madrid's chances of challenging Barça for the league title. Already trailing by four points with five matches remaining, the task was daunting, but the shortage of resources will make it even more challenging for Ancelotti in the final stretch of the tournament.

The Italian manager will be without Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Rüdiger, Mendy, and Camavinga for the remaining five matches due to a series of injuries. The situation is particularly concerning in defence, where only four pure defenders—Lucas Vázquez, Raúl Asencio, Jesús Vallejo, and Fran García—are currently available.

However, Vallejo is not in Ancelotti's plans, as evidenced by his mere ten minutes of play this season. He was given a chance in the match against Alavés during the seventh league round, a game that seemed decided with a 3-0 lead but ended with a scare for the hosts after Alavés scored twice with Vallejo on the pitch.

The cruciate ligament injuries suffered by Carvajal and Militao last October and November had already placed Ancelotti in a difficult position. Despite Asencio's commendable performance after being promoted from Castilla, Ancelotti has often had to rely on players from other positions to patch up the defence. However, the recent spate of injuries leaves him with almost no room for manoeuvre.

Rüdiger will be sidelined for six to eight weeks following surgery on a partial tear in the external meniscus of his left leg, aiming to be fit for the Club World Cup. Alaba and Mendy, however, seem unlikely to participate. Mendy is dealing with a proximal tendon rupture in the right quadriceps, sidelining him for ten to twelve weeks, while Alaba's internal meniscus tear in the left knee will keep him out until next season.

In addition to the five defensive absences, Eduardo Camavinga's injury in the midfield is another blow. He suffered an adductor tendon rupture during last week's league match against Getafe and will be out for about two months. Camavinga's injury also affects Real Madrid's defence, as it complicates Ancelotti's option to move Aurélien Tchouaméni to the backline.

Furthermore, two other Real Madrid players remain doubtful. Dani Ceballos left the Copa del Rey final with a bruised left ankle and is uncertain for Sunday's league match against Celta, despite training on Monday. Kylian Mbappé, who pushed to play against Barça, is still struggling with a right ankle issue and is also doubtful for the upcoming clash with the Galician side.