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The injury crisis at Real Madrid claims another player

By Ernesto Hernandez

MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 09: Zinedine Zidane, Head Coach of Real Madrid interacts with Referee Juan Martinez Munuera after the La Liga Santander match between Real Madrid and Sevilla FC at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on May 09, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 09: Zinedine Zidane, Head Coach of Real Madrid interacts with Referee Juan Martinez Munuera after the La Liga Santander match between Real Madrid and Sevilla FC at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on May 09, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) /
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Real Madrid salvaged a 2-2- draw against Sevilla over the weekend, keeping pace with the likes of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the race for the league title.

However, despite the late heroics, the draw did not come without its casualties.

Right-back Alvaro Odriozola managed to finish the game but with some discomfort. The latest on his discomfort is not good news for manager Zinedine Zidane.

According to Marca, Odriozola has been ruled out for Real Madrid’s upcoming match against Granada on Thursday as he is suffering from muscle overload. He needs to rest to avoid a potential serious injury.

Odriozola had been featuring more prominently due to the injuries picked up by Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez. The latter is set to miss the rest of the season.

The injury crisis at Real Madrid is getting ridiculous.

This is Odriozola’s fifth muscle injury of the season and joins a long list of defenders currently out for Real Madrid.

In addition to Carvajal and Vazquez, he now joins Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane and Ferland Mendy on the sidelines.

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Zidane also got more bad news regarding Mendy. The French left-back is out for the remainder of the season with shin splints.

Overtaking Atletico Madrid for the league lead was always going to be an uphill battle. Now they’ll have to do it without a number of first choice defenders.

Some of the backups, like Nacho and Eder Militao, have done a good job in filling in. However, others, like Marcelo, clearly are past their prime are now a liability.

No one seems to be able to stay fit. Ramos, who was out previously with a lengthy injury of his own, came back for the second leg of their Champions League match against Chelsea.

He managed to play the entire game but the club announced a day later that he had suffered another injury.

Real Madrid were scraping by as it is. Zidane has been forced to call up a number of academy players simply to fill out the squad.

They’re battling for their league title hopes and Granada are no pushovers either. They stopped Barcelona from going top and beat them 2-1 at the Camp Nou.

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With Odriozola out, Zidane is going to have to get creative. His options include a makeshift right-back in Federico Valverde or playing the youngster, Marvin Park. That is assuming, of course, no one else picks up an injury between now and matchday.

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