Real Madrid faces consecutive shocks from key players

Rodrygo has been hit by successive setbacks, with a hamstring injury and a two-match suspension from UEFA, putting Real Madrid in a tough spot regarding player availability before important games.

Real Madrid star Rodrygo recently sustained a hamstring injury and will be sidelined for a short period, at the same time as he is serving a suspension in the Champions League following a red card received in the match against Benfica.

According to Real Madrid’s announcement, Rodrygo has a right hamstring injury and is expected to be out for about 10 days. This timeframe means the Brazilian forward will miss the La Liga matches against Valencia and Real Sociedad but may be able to return for the game against Osasuna on February 21. However, injury is not his only problem, as he also faces a severe penalty from UEFA.

As revealed by Marca, UEFA has decided to suspend Rodrygo for two matches, causing him to miss both legs of the Champions League playoff against Benfica. The European football governing body stated the suspension was due to Rodrygo’s behavior involving “insulting and offensive language” directed at the referee during Real Madrid’s 2-4 defeat to the Portuguese side.

The day after the match, Rodrygo issued an apology on social media: “I lost control when complaining about time-wasting. That does not reflect who I am. This is the first time I have been sent off wearing the Real Madrid shirt, and I fully understand the consequences. I apologize to the fans, the club, my teammates, and the coach. We will continue to unite and fight for this jersey and the Champions League.”

Real Madrid’s personnel difficulties do not end there. Young defender Raul Asencio is also suspended after accumulating enough yellow cards, while Jude Bellingham is sidelined due to a hamstring tear. Additionally, Vinícius Jr. will be unavailable for the next match due to his own suspension. On the brighter side, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rüdiger, and Ferland Mendy are expected to return within the next two weeks.

Coach Álvaro Arbeloa, who took charge of Real Madrid on January 12, admitted the team still has a lot to improve after the loss to Benfica: “We were far from expectations, from the difficulty of the match, the opponent’s demands, to the atmosphere in the stadium. To win games like this, you have to get many things right and maintain that for the full 90 minutes.”

This weekend, Real Madrid will face Valencia in La Liga as they strive to catch up with Barcelona in the standings. Meanwhile, the two legs of the Champions League playoff against Benfica will take place on February 17 in Portugal and February 25 at Santiago Bernabéu.