Real Madrid's defensive woes have deepened as Antonio Rüdiger has been diagnosed with a leg muscle injury following Saturday's Spanish league match. The central defender was forced to leave the field in the 15th minute during Madrid's 1-0 defeat to Espanyol.
The club confirmed on Sunday that the 31-year-old German international has sustained "an injury to the biceps femoris" in his right leg. While Real Madrid has not provided a specific timeline for his recovery, Spanish media outlets suggest he could be sidelined for two to three weeks.
This injury setback comes at a particularly challenging time for Los Blancos, who are already dealing with defensive absences. The team is currently without Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão, while David Alaba has only recently returned from a lengthy injury layoff. With the transfer window closing on Monday, the timing of Rüdiger's injury adds additional pressure to the squad's defensive resources.
The injury is likely to rule Rüdiger out of several crucial upcoming fixtures, including the Champions League clash against Manchester City on February 11. Before that pivotal European encounter, Real Madrid face a busy schedule with a Copa del Rey quarterfinal match against Leganes on Wednesday and a high-stakes LaLiga derby against Atlético Madrid on Saturday.
Despite these challenges, Real Madrid currently maintains a narrow one-point lead over Atlético in the LaLiga standings, though this latest defensive setback could test their resilience in maintaining their position at the top of the table.
