Still immersed in the euphoria resulting from their historic win at Anfield, Real Madrid received a jug of cold water this Thursday when confirming the injuries to Rodrygo Goes and David Alaba, who will miss this Saturday’s league derby against Atlético de Madrid in the Santiago Bernabéu and they will not be able to be in the game next Thursday against Barça in the match corresponding to the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals that will also be played at the Paseo de la Castellana Coliseum.
Rodrygo had to withdraw from Anfield on Tuesday in the 80th minute of the game, after suffering discomfort in his left buttock. After the Real Madrid expedition returned from Liverpool and Ancelotti rested his squad on Wednesday, the Brazilian underwent an MRI this Thursday which confirmed that the winger suffered a small tear in the left piriformis muscle. Although the club does not specify the time he will be out, the player from São Paulo will have to be away from the pitch for around ten days, so it would be normal for him to miss the clash against Betis on March 5, corresponding to the twenty-fourth day of the League.
Rodrygo’s loss is a serious setback for Carlo Ancelotti, who has in the ’21’ one of his most effective revulsives when he comes off the bench and a perfect wild card to complete the eleven since his versatility allows him to function in all three offensive front posts. With Vinicius becoming the owner and lord of the left side, it is on the right wing where Rodrygo has played the most games so far this season, but the coach has also used him regularly to cover Benzema’s absences due to injury.
Raising his performance compared to the previous season, Rodrygo is the fourth Real Madrid footballer who has played the most games so far this season (35, the same as Vinicius and only one less than Camavinga and Valverde) and is also the fourth most striker for the whites with ten goals, surpassed only by the 18 from Benzema and Vinicius and the 12 from Valverde. In terms of number of minutes, he is fifth in Ancelotti’s squad with 2,332, behind Vinicius (3,066), Valverde (2,863), Courtois (2,400) and Rüdiger (2,367).
It should also be remembered that Rodrygo has shone in the two rounds that Real Madrid has fought against Atlético this season. He opened the victory for the whites with a goal in the league match of the first round held at the Metropolitano and a month ago he neutralized Morata’s target at the Santiago Bernabéu, thus contributing to the comeback of the locals in the quarterfinals of the Cup King.
Alaba’s loss clears the way for Nacho
Regarding Alaba, Real Madrid have announced that the defender has been diagnosed with a muscle injury in the distal third of the right femoral biceps. A mishap that will keep him in the dry dock for about a month and that will deprive Ancelotti of another of his Praetorians. If the forecasts come true, the Austrian would miss the league duels against Atlético, Betis, Espanyol and Barça. He will also not be available for the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal against the Catalan team, nor for the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Liverpool.
Alaba has played 29 games this season, with a total of 2,214 minutes in which he has scored two goals. Regular starter in the axis of the defense along with Militao, he already suffered an injury to the soleus of his right leg at the beginning of January that caused him to miss seven games, including the two in the Spanish Super Cup that Real Madrid played. He returned at the beginning of February, starting from the bench in the loss for the Whites against Mallorca in Son Moix. He then completed 90 minutes in the league against Elche and Osasuna, also starting this Tuesday against Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. But in minute 27 he had to retire to leave his position as left back to Nacho as a result of the mishap that will keep him in the infirmary for the next month. The man from Alcalá is emerging as his substitute while he is absent, although Camavinga has also played successfully on the left-handed side.
The good news for Real Madrid is that Aurélien Tchouaméni has recovered from the flu that prevented him from traveling to Pamplona last weekend and also prevented him from being at Anfield on Tuesday. The French midfielder participated normally in training this Thursday at the Ciudad Deportiva de Valdebebas and everything indicates that Ancelotti will be able to count on him for the derby on Saturday. His compatriot, Ferland Mendy, who has been sidelined since the end of January due to a torn semimembranosus muscle in his left leg, is also progressing favorably and it is expected that he will be ready to return to the team in about two weeks.