Real Madrid Blow as Alvaro Carreras Picks Up Muscle Injury Before Man City Game
- Real Madrid have been dealt another major injury blow following the setback suffered by Álvaro Carreras
- The Spanish giants are already grappling with several absences, including Kylian Mbappé and a host of other key players
- Madrid will now be hoping to gain an early advantage with a positive result in the first leg of their round-of-16 clash against Manchester City
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Real Madrid will be without left back Alvaro Carreras for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 clash against Manchester City on Wednesday, March 11, at the Bernabeu Stadium.
The Spanish defender has been a regular presence since arriving from Benfica last summer.
Source: Getty Images
Carreras set to miss Man City clash
According to Sports Mole, only four outfield players have featured more times than the 22-year-old, who has already made 34 appearances across competitions this season.
Carreras recently completed the full match during Madrid’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Getafe in La Liga.
He then missed the 2-1 away victory against Celta Vigo through suspension before suffering a fresh setback.
A medical update released by the club confirmed the injury.
“After the tests carried out on our player Alvaro Carreras by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a muscle injury in the calf of his right leg. Pending evolution,” the statement from the club's official website read.
With Carreras unavailable, head coach Alvaro Arbeloa must rethink his defensive options for the highly anticipated meeting with Manchester City.
Both Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia are expected to compete for the left back position, though Mendy appears the favourite to start when the teams meet in Madrid.
The absence of Carreras adds to a growing injury list at the Spanish powerhouse. Several first-team stars remain unavailable as they continue rehabilitation.
“[David] Alaba, [Jude] Bellingham, [Dani] Ceballos, Mbappe, [Eder] Militao and Rodrygo are continuing their recovery processes,” a statement from Los Blancos read.
Source: Getty Images
Mixed fitness news for Real Madrid squad
Despite those setbacks, there are encouraging signs for Madrid supporters. Midfielder Eduardo Camavinga has returned to training after missing the victory against Celta Vigo due to a dental issue.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe was also seen running during Monday’s training session.
The French forward, currently the club’s leading scorer this season, has been absent from the last three matches because of a knee problem and recently underwent medical checks in Paris, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Arbeloa is expected to provide further clarity on the condition of his squad during Tuesday’s pre-match press conference as Real Madrid prepare for a crucial European night against Antoine Semenyo's Man City at the Bernabeu.
With the two sides evenly matched in their head-to-head record, Real Madrid will aim for a strong result in the first leg before the return clash a week later.
Real Madrid hit by UEFA sanction
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Real Madrid were sanctioned by UEFA following an incident during a recent UEFA Champions League match.
The club was handed a €15,000 fine and a conditional partial closure of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for their next UEFA home game.
Source: YEN.com.gh
