Back Eder Militao has left the Brazilian national team injured. Not the only personnel worrying Real Madrid right now
If Real Madrid want to delude themselves and lose their optimism, they can point to a top match from February. Back then, the Whites, who were top of the table, hosted their closest rivals, surprise team Girona, and did not have a single central defender available, mainly due to health reasons.
Aurelien Tchouameni, who is actually a six-man, and right-back Dani Carvajal, who is only 1.73 meters tall, ended up forming the center of defence. It went well at the time, the patchwork chain held, Vinicius Junior even brought tears to the eyes of his compatriot Yan Couto up front and Real won 4:0.
The team from last year, however, was a well-coordinated and solid team, while the current one, perhaps stronger on paper, has yet to find its balance without conductor Toni Kroos and with new superstar Kylian Mbappé. In several parts of the team
Squad planning was also a question of balance in the summer. The Whites have answered it by having a very broad attacking line-up, while the central defense is very sparse, as in the previous year. There is Antonio Rüdiger, Eder Militao, who suffered a cruciate ligament rupture last season, David Alaba, who will be out for a few more months with his injury – and Jesus Vallejo, who, as Nacho’s replacement, doesn’t really have the stature for the Champions League winners
The substitutes are out themselves
Even early in the season, Madrid have apparently exhausted their luck again. Militao, the best Royal defender so far, has left the Brazilian national team injured. The reason is at least a manageable muscle injury in his right thigh. The two potential replacements Tchouameni and left-back Ferland Mendy are also not in the squad at the moment – because they are injured.
Even though Real managed to compensate for major injury worries in defense during the pre-season, can they really do it twice in a row? This time, the omens are also different, including those from Barcelona, where Hansi Flick and the Catalans are already four points clear after four league games – while the defending champions are clearly still searching. Himself and his temporary central defenders. And that at the start of the packed weeks surrounding the CL kick-off against Stuttgart (September 17)
