Real Madrid skipper Dani Carvajal faces around four weeks on the sidelines after sustaining a calf injury during Saturday’s 5-2 derby defeat to Atletico Madrid.
The 33-year-old right-back limped off after an hour and scans confirmed a soleus muscle issue in his right leg. Carvajal had only returned in July for the Club World Cup semi-finals following a nine-month ACL layoff.
His absence leaves manager Xabi Alonso with a mounting defensive crisis, as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Antonio Rüdiger are also out. Spanish outlet Marca reports Carvajal is set to miss the El Clásico clash against Barcelona on October 26.
Real next face Kairat Almaty in Tuesday’s Champions League group-stage trip to Kazakhstan.
He has played in seven of Real‘s eight games in all competitions this season but had to come off after an hour in Saturday’s 5-2 derby loss at Atletico Madrid in LaLiga.
The 33-year-old had returned to action in July for the Club World Cup semi-finals after nine months out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
“After the tests carried out today on our player Carvajal by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the soleus muscle of his right leg,” Real said in a statement.
The club did not say how long he would be out, but the newspaper Marca said Carvajal will be sidelined for around a month, meaning he is likely to miss Barcelona‘s visit on 26 October.
Fellow right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and centre-back Antonio Rudiger are also injured, leaving manager Xabi Alonso short of options in defence.
Real next travel to Kazakhstan to take on Kairat Almaty in the Champions League on Tuesday.
