Real Madrid is plagued by injuries. In addition to the previously announced absence of Antonio Rüdiger, the club also announced on Tuesday that Ferland Mendy and David Alaba are injured and will not play again this season.
Ferland Mendy had only just recovered from a thigh injury. Coach Carlo Ancelotti selected him to start in the important cup final, which was lost 2-3 in extra time to rivals Barcelona. But the Frenchman’s appearance was short-lived.
After just eight minutes, Mendy was sitting on the ground holding his right thigh. It was clear pretty quickly that he couldn’t continue. He was replaced by Fran Garcia after eleven minutes.
On Tuesday, the club announced the diagnosis: “After tests carried out today by Real Madrid’s medical service on our player Ferland Mendy, he has been diagnosed with a tear of the proximal tendon of the anterior rectus muscle in his right quadriceps. Further developments are to be awaited.”
Club World Cup also unlikely
The left-back has torn a tendon in his right thigh. While Real did not announce an exact layoff period, the media is speculating that he will be out for two and a half months. This means that not only is the league season, which runs until May 25 in Spain, over for the Frenchman, but he is also very unlikely to play in the Club World Cup (June 14 to July 13).
Mendy is Ancelotti’s first-choice left-back when fit. This has often not been the case this season, with the 29-year-old making only 14 league appearances due to injury. He has played eleven games in the Champions League. With the Frenchman, Rüdiger, Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal, the Royal’s intended starting back four is currently unavailable due to injury.
Alaba also out
But that’s not all: the Royals received more bitter news on Tuesday: David Alaba, another defender, has torn the meniscus in his left knee. Again, no further details have been provided, but the Austrian is likely to face a lengthy spell on the sidelines, with the league season definitely over and the Club World Cup also looking unlikely.
Alongside Antonio Rüdiger’s lengthy absence, this is the third piece of bad news for the Blancos’ defense in a single day.
