Real Madrid suffer hammer blow ahead of Girona clash as key defender ruled out with injury
Real Madrid aim to go five points clear at the top of the La Liga table on Saturday night when they host Girona at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, Carlo Ancelotti will be significantly handicapped when picking his team for the showdown.
Los Blancos are already without captain Nacho Fernandez for the match, as he picked up an injury during the week. At that stage, it meant no natural centre-back was fit as Antonio Rudiger was still recovering from the thigh injury that saw him miss last weekend's Madrid derby.
Rudiger has improved in recent days, and the expectation was that he would be fit to face Girona, but that is not the case. Real Madrid have confirmed that the German defender is still injured, effectively ruling him out for Saturday's game.
🚨 PART DOCTOR: ANTONIO RÜDIGER
“After the tests carried out today on our player Antonio Rüdiger, he was diagnosed with a muscle injury in the vastus lateralis of his left thigh.” pic.twitter.com/28hDagin4N
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) February 10, 2024
It means that Real Madrid will have to use Aurelien Tchouameni and Dani Carvajal as central defenders against Gerona. The club's decision not to sign a central defender in January could come back to bite here.
