Real Madrid suffers injury blow ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League clash

Real Madrid have suffered yet another injury setback, with Dani Carvajal ruled out for around four weeks in the build-up to their highly anticipated UEFA Champions League clash with Liverpool.

The Spanish right-back was already unavailable for the trip to Anfield after receiving a red card in Madrid’s opening group-stage fixture against Marseille. To make matters worse, Carvajal was forced off around the 60th minute during Los Blancos’ shocking 5-2 derby defeat to Atlético Madrid on Saturday. The injury will now sideline him until after the upcoming international break, dealing a fresh blow to Xabi Alonso’s defensive options.

Following medical examinations, the club released an official statement confirming the nature of the problem:

“After tests carried out today on Dani Carvajal by Real Madrid’s medical department, the player has been diagnosed with an injury to the soleus muscle in his right leg. His recovery will be monitored.”

The timing of this setback could hardly be worse, as Alonso is already stretched thin at right-back. Adding to Madrid’s defensive woes, former Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold—who joined the Spanish giants earlier in the season—has also been sidelined with a muscular problem and is expected to miss up to six weeks of action.

This double absence leaves Real Madrid with a major headache heading into their Champions League showdown. Meanwhile, both Madrid and Liverpool are desperate to bounce back, having suffered league defeats over the weekend. Madrid were humbled by Atlético, while Crystal Palace stunned Liverpool in a surprising result that has piled pressure on both sides to respond.

Alonso did not hide his frustration after his team’s derby collapse, admitting that his side simply fell short on the night:

“We’re in a building phase. Today was our first defeat, and we must take lessons from it. There are no excuses—we’re hurt. It’s a derby and it was a deserved defeat. We weren’t at our best, we were missing an extra gear, and the result is painful.”

Despite the setback, Madrid supporters will be hoping Carvajal’s recovery progresses faster than expected, and that Alexander-Arnold can also return ahead of schedule. Both players remain key to Alonso’s long-term project, and their absence could prove decisive in the coming weeks as the season begins to intensify.

Source: notjustok.com