Cesar Palacios will undergo surgery after sustaining a cruciate ligament tear in his first-team debut for Real Madrid.
The 19-year-old midfielder suffered the injury just five minutes into his appearance on Wednesday night at Chicago’s Soldier Field during a 1-0 loss to AC Milan.
Scans in Spain have since revealed the severity of Palacio’s issue, leading the club’s medical team to arrange for him to undergo surgery that is expected to take place next week.
Palacios’ injury will come as a blow to Raul’s Castilla team, having lost Dani Mesonero to a serious knee injury that will keep him out of action for an extended period. Forward Alvaro Rodriguez, meanwhile, also sustained an injury in the Milan match with a sprained ankle, and is expected to be ruled out for a month.
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One of La Fabrica’s most promising midfielders, Palacios is highly regarded by Ancelotti’s coaching staff. His father serves as the sporting director for the Basque club Eibar, making him eligible to play for Athletic Bilbao due to his family’s ties to the region.
While Athletic has recently shown interest in him, Palacios is under contract at Madrid until 2027.
Madrid will face Barcelona in the second match of their pre-season tour on Saturday in New Jersey.
(Diego Souto/Getty Images)
