August 13, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid’s Eder Militao has become the second player on the team to suffer a serious knee injury in less than a week.
The Brazilian defender was forced off the field during the club’s La Liga opener against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday after hyperextending his left knee. Tests later confirmed that Militao had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament and would require surgery. The injury comes just days after first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also sustained a torn ACL during a training session.
Like the Belgian shot-stopper, Militao could face several months on the sidelines recovering from the surgery. The loss of Militao leaves Real Madrid with just three fit central defenders at the start of the new season – Nacho, Antonio Rudiger, and David Alaba. Coach Carlo Ancelotti will likely have to get creative to cover for the absence of two key players in defence.
Militao was in tears as he exited the match in the 50th minute of what was ultimately a 2-0 victory over Bilbao. The 25-year-old had established himself as a core part of Madrid’s backline last season as they went on to win the Copa del Rey, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
These injuries cast an early shadow over the new season for the Spanish football juggernauts. Los Blancos will be hoping that Militao and Courtois can recover as quickly as possible to rejoin the quest to retain their domestic and European crowns. Meanwhile, the club is negotiating with Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga to stand in for Courtois via a loan deal for the rest of the season.
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.
