Real Madrid suffer hammer blow ahead of Girona clash as key defender is ruled out with injury

Real Madrid are aiming to go five points clear at the top of the La Liga table on Saturday evening when they host second-placed Girona at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, Carlo Ancelotti will be significantly handicapped when selecting his squad for the showdown clash.

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 that no natural centre-backs were fit, as Antonio Rudiger was still recovering from the thigh injury that saw him miss last weekend’s Madrid derby.

Rudiger has improved in the last few days, and the expectation was that he would be fit to face Girona, but that isn’t the case. Real Madrid have confirmed that the German defender is still injury, effectively ruling him out for Saturday’s match.

🚨 PARTE MEDICO: ANTONIO RÜDIGER

“After the tests carried out today on our player Antonio Rüdiger, he has been 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 utilise Aurelien Tchouameni and Dani Carvajal as centre-backs against Girona. The club’s decision not to sign a central defender in January could well come back to bite them here.