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It has been a difficult season for Real Madrid as far as the injuries and fitness problems are concerned.
Even though the team has been performing well on the field, Carlo Ancelotti & co. have had to deal with various injury problems in the first third of the 2023/24 campaign.
Real Madrid currently have as many as eight stars out on the sidelines due to injuries which is a cause for concern for the manager.
With a slew of important fixtures coming up after the international break, Mundo Deportivo provides an update on the injured Real Madrid stars and their potential return dates.
Thibaut Courtois
The first-choice goalkeeper ruptured his ACL before the start of the season, prompting Real Madrid to sign a replacement in the form of Kepa Arrizabalaga.
It has been reported that Courtois, who underwent surgery for his injury, could be sidelined for about seven to nine months, putting his return date sometime towards the end of the season, possibly in April 2024.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
The man brought in on loan to replace Thibaut Courtois also succumbed to a thigh injury earlier this month, just before Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League clash against SC Braga.
Having missed the subsequent La Liga fixture against Valencia as well, Kepa is expected to be out for two weeks, meaning he could come back towards the end of November soon after the international break ends.
Eder Militao
Another ACL injury absentee, Eder Militao ruptured his knee ligament in Real Madrid’s opening game of the season against Athletic Club.
However, it has been reported that the Brazilian’s recovery is progressing very well and he is working hard to cut short his return time. Even then, it is believed that he could make a comeback around March or April 2024.
Aurelien Tchouameni
Real Madrid’s midfield general is recovering from a fractured foot that he sustained during the team’s 2-1 win over arch-rivals Barcelona.
Tchouameni’s recovery time is expected to be somewhere around two months and it is expected that the Frenchman will only return after the Christmas break, meaning he might not play again in 2023.
Dani Ceballos
Having already missed the start of the campaign due to a pre-season injury, Ceballos sustained another injury soon after his comeback and is still recovering from the thigh problem.
The Spaniard has resumed light training during the ongoing international break and is likely to return to action towards the end of this month.
Eduardo Camavinga
The latest addition to Real Madrid’s list of casualties, Camavinga suffered from a sprain in his right knee earlier this week while training with his France teammates.
It was initially presumed that the issue was not serious, but more tests raised concerns and the Frenchman is now returning to Madrid, with initial tests indicating that he could be out for eight weeks, meaning he would not play again in 2023.
Jude Bellingham
Perhaps the least serious issue on the list happens to be that of Jude Bellingham, who suffered from a dislocated shoulder during the game against Rayo Vallecano leading to him missing the games versus Braga and Valencia.
Even though he had travelled to England to play for his national team, the midfielder was released by the Three Lions after carrying out additional tests. The 20-year-old has trained after returning to Spain and is expected to be ready after the international break.
Arda Guler
The Turkish wonderkid has endured a difficult start at Real Madrid, having picked up three injuries since arriving in the summer, with the latest being a quadriceps issue he suffered earlier this month.
It is expected that Guler will be out until mid-December, although given that the Merengues do not want to take any risks with him, he could also return in 2024.
