Yesterday afternoon, Real Madrid resumed training in Valdebebas with two new casualties that swell the already very crowded white infirmary. These are Eduardo Camavinga, who broke himself in training with France, and Vinícius Júnior, with a muscle tear in the Colombia-Brazil match in Barranquilla. These days, Carlo Ancelotti is preparing for Sunday's game in Cádiz with nine injured, more than a third of the squad.
The numbers are devastating. The club closed last season with 53 injuries, of which 41 were muscular. Of the 24 members of the staff, 20 went through the infirmary at one time or another.
This season, from August to November, twelve players have already been injured, some, like Vinícius, twice. Two are injured for practically the entire season: Courtois and Militão, both with torn cruciate ligaments, and one, Arda Güler, has already suffered three injuries, has not made his debut and has no date to do so.
Those injured right now in Madrid are Courtois, Militão, Bellingham, Vinícius, Camavinga, Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Kepa and Ceballos. Of them, the first four would be undisputed starters for the Italian coach. So would a fifth, either Tchouaméni or Camavinga. For Nuevo Mirandilla, the two injured players who have a chance to play are Bellingham, who suffered a dislocated shoulder against Rayo and has already been absent for two games, and Dani Ceballos, residual for Ancelotti. Throughout the season he has played only 73 minutes spread over four games. Madrid sources assure that "in a normal scenario neither of them would play and if they do it will be out of extreme necessity."
Apart from these two, the rest of the injured players are not expected until after the Christmas break. Vinícius has two and a half months at best. Camavinga will be out for another two months. Tchouaméni, with a broken toe, is expected in early January.
In the case of Kepa, who was injured in the warm-up of Real Madrid-Braga with an overload in the adductor, he could be ready for November 29 against Naples. The goal worries Ancelotti less because the Ukrainian Lunin has done very well in the last two games, even though there were many doubts about him. When Courtois was injured, the season began and since he did not convince, Madrid went after the signing of Kepa.
The plague of injuries is going to have a collateral effect that the club does not like. This was the season in which Modric and Kroos were going to take a step back. In fact, the course began with both on the bench. Then, Ancelotti has been dosing them (especially the Croatian, a substitute in the classic), and they have rarely played together. Now they are going to have to do it because the only healthy one in the starting midfield is Fede Valverde (and Bellingham between cottons).
Madrid is not going to sign anyone in the winter market and the motto is to bring up some youth player. The chosen ones would be Nico Paz, who already did the preseason with the first team (and has made his debut), and Mario Martín.
Nico Paz, 18, is from Tenerife of Argentine descent (he plays for the Albiceleste), an offensive midfielder. Mario Martín, 19 years old, is a means of containment in Tchouaméni's profile. He is very liked by Ancelotti and already made his debut with the first team last season.
