Real Madrid News
Real Madrid winger set to miss Athletic Club encounter due to ankle injury
The injury woes continue to pile up for Real Madrid as Eden Hazard has become the latest casualty within the Spanish capital club.
According to Guillermo Rai of The Athletic, the Belgian winger missed the training session earlier today after twisting his ankle in a previous session. As a result, he is set to miss the upcoming game against Athletic Club on Sunday night.
Hazard joins an ever-growing injury list at the Santiago Bernabeu, which includes David Alaba, Aurelien Tchouameni, Dani Carvajal, and Lucas Vazquez.
The 31-year-old former Chelsea ace is not a prominent part of Carlo Ancelotti’s plans at the club and has not featured much in recent weeks for the reigning champions of Spain and Europe.
Indeed, Hazard has played just seven times across all competitions this season, managing a return of one goal and an assist in those appearances.
In fact, the 31-year-old has not appeared in a single La Liga game since September last year while he was not used in the two Spanish Super Cup matches as well as the Copa del Rey encounter against Villarreal earlier this week.
So, it would be fair to say that Hazard’s absence will not be felt a great deal by Real Madrid come Sunday’s game.
However, Carvajal not returning to training and Vazquez remaining sidelined means that Los Blancos will be without a natural right-back. It must be noted that Castilla youngster Vinicius Tobias also did not train with the first team today.
It could mean that Ancelotti will likely turn to Nacho or Eder Militao once again to occupy the right-back position against Athletic Club tomorrow.
Real Madrid News
Carlos Espi reacts after scoring match-winning goal in Elche 2-3 Real Madrid: ‘Starting like this is a dream’
Carlos Espi is becoming Real Madrid’s unlikely late-game specialist.
The 21-year-old once again came off the bench to rescue Jose Mourinho’s side, this time scoring the 91st-minute winner in a dramatic 3-2 victory over Elche.
It was his second goal for the club, and both have arrived at crucial moments.
Speaking to Real Madrid TV after the match, Espi could barely contain his excitement.
“I’m so happy—the happiest man in the world. I try to help the team any way I can, and every time I step onto the field, I give it my all and come away feeling great.
“Starting like this has been a dream. This isn’t over yet; we’re going to keep going because we have Sunday’s match coming up.
Carlos Espi winning goal in Elche vs Real Madrid game. Mbappe assist. pic.twitter.com/STJBV3ikQL
— Daily Foot Vibes (@dailyfootvibes) September 16, 2026
“This is a team effort. All of us who take the field make the most of our opportunities and give it our all,” he began.
Espi keeps making his minutes count
There is a growing pattern to Espi’s involvement. Even though he has yet to start a match for the first team, that has not stopped him from making an impact.
His first goal arrived against Espanyol in Real Madrid’s opening game, when another late strike helped secure the result.
Against Elche, he was required again after Real Madrid surrendered a two-goal lead and suddenly found themselves in serious trouble.
Espi eventually appeared at the back post in the 91st minute and finished the move to give Mourinho’s team all three points.
The youngster shared the credit with his teammates, but he also had special praise for the player who supplied his decisive moment.
That assist came from Kylian Mbappe, whose presence has made Espi’s route into the starting XI particularly difficult.
“It’s unbelievable—it’s crazy to watch him train and play. In this case, he set me up for the goal, and I’m very happy for him, too.”
First Madrid derby already has Espi excited
The timing of Espi’s latest contribution could hardly be more interesting, as Real Madrid now face Atletico Madrid on Sunday, giving the forward an opportunity to experience his first Madrid derby.
“I’m really looking forward to it—I’m so excited. It’s my first derby here, and we’re going to go for it.”
For Mourinho, Espi is a useful option when matches become chaotic. He may not yet be a regular starter, but his two appearances on the scoresheet have carried considerably more weight than the minutes he has played.
