News on the injury front simply does not seem to be getting any better for Real Madrid and Zinedine Zidane. There is no right timing when it comes to losing key players and especially not before a second leg Champions League semifinal.
But that is the position Madrid find themselves in as French center-back Raphaël Varane has been ruled out for the match against Chelsea midweek.
More from Playing for 90
- Alexia Putellas reaches 400 games with Barcelona
- Everything you need to know ahead of the 250th ‘Super Clásico’
- Barcelona put five past Real Betis
- Manchester City suffer but come away with win over West Ham
- Baffling Liga MX ruling strips Puebla of a hard-earned victory
According to the official club medical report, Varane suffers from an injury in the right abductor muscle. The club did not provide a time frame for his return.
He picked up the injury in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win against Osasuna over the weekend.
Varane was the last domino to fall in terms of Zidane’s first choice defenders.
Some may question as to why Varane played in the league but it’s the double-edged sword for a club the size of Los Blancos. They have to fight for every competition until the very end and they’re very much still in the fight for LaLiga.
Even if Zidane would have wanted to rest Varane, given their injury crisis at the moment, there really is no one else he could have chosen to start over the Frenchman.
Plenty of Real Madrid players facing a battle against time to be fit
Varane joins the likes of Lucas Vázquez and Dani Carvajal as the other members of the Madrid backline who are currently sidelined with injuries.
However, it may not be all bad news for the Spanish giants.
Marca report that both Sergio Ramos and Ferland Mendy took part in training — though their status for Wednesday remains doubtful.
Real Madrid are hoping to have at least one of Ramos or Mendy fit in time for Chelsea. Marcelo didn’t exactly impress in the first leg and the side managed by Thomas Tuchel are going to regret not exploiting his side more often should things end up going sideways.
Still, there is a definite vulnerability in defense and it was more than evident in the Christian Pulisic goal.
The good news is that Éder Militão has done a tremendous job filling in for the injured Ramos and seems to have found a new lease on life at the club.
The only thing Zidane and the Real Madrid faithful can do is wait until the squad list comes out to see if either Ramos or Mendy make the cut. Even if just one of them makes it, it will still be a big boost to the team’s hope to reach yet another Champions League final.