February 02, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid face significant defensive concerns ahead of their UEFA Champions League meeting with Manchester City following an injury to Antonio Rudiger during Saturday’s La Liga match against Espanyol.
The German defender sustained a muscle tear in his right thigh, forcing his withdrawal during the first half of Madrid’s 1-0 defeat.
Medical assessments conducted by the club’s healthcare team confirmed the extent of the injury through official testing procedures.
Spanish media outlets report that Rudiger will require a minimum two-week recovery period, which would prevent his participation in the upcoming Madrid derby against Atletico and the crucial first leg of the UCL play-off against City on February 11.
The situation compounds existing defensive challenges for manager Carlo Ancelotti, who must already manage without Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao for the remainder of the 2024/2025 campaign due to long-term injuries.
This latest setback further reduces Madrid’s defensive options during a critical phase of their season.
The UCL fixture schedule places the first leg at City’s home ground, with the return match set for February 19 in Madrid.
Both matches are another pair of pivotal encounters between two of European football’s most successful clubs in recent years.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
