Real Madrid News
Heartfelt messages pour in from Real Madrid stars for injured teammate – ‘We’ll be waiting for you’
Eder Militao’s recent knee injury has deeply shaken Real Madrid, with teammates and coach Carlo Ancelotti sending heartfelt messages of support.
The Brazilian defender, who has now faced his second major knee injury within two seasons, suffered a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament along with damage to both menisci in his right knee during the recent match against Osasuna.
Following this unfortunate event, the Real Madrid squad and staff quickly rallied to show Militao their solidarity.
Carlo Ancelotti expressed his empathy and support through a social media post, saying, “Lots of encouragement and strength, Eder! We know you’ll overcome this again. We’ll be waiting for you. We love you!”
Mucho ánimo y fuerza, Eder! Sabemos que lo superarás otra vez. Estaremos esperándote. Te queremos! pic.twitter.com/vtokBwdb5g
— Carlo Ancelotti (@MrAncelotti) November 9, 2024
Club captain Dani Carvajal also reached out, sharing a personal message of encouragement. Having faced a similar challenge himself, Carvajal wrote,
“Lots of strength and courage, my friend! You have already shown how strong you have been in a situation like this, now it’s time to wind the clock back up,” His words reflect the understanding that only someone who has endured a similar struggle could offer.
Messages from Courtois, Vazquez, Mbappe and others
Thibaut Courtois, who suffered the same injury last season, offered Militao a message of unity and resilience, writing, “Last year we got through it TOGETHER and now I’ll be by your side so you can do it again. Stay strong.”
El año pasado lo superamos JUNTOS y ahora estaré a tu lado para que lo vuelvas a hacer. Mucha fuerza @edermilitao 🤍 pic.twitter.com/08dORBQvl5
— Thibaut Courtois (@thibautcourtois) November 9, 2024
The injury has also sparked messages from other teammates. Lucas Vazquez, who sustained a muscle injury himself, posted, “You’ve done it once and you’ll do it again because you’re a warrior! We trust you and we’re with you! We love you Militex.”
Other players, including Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba, kept their messages short but heartfelt, with Rudiger writing, “Cheer up bro, we’re with you. Be strong,” and Alaba adding, “Stay strong bro.”
Fuerza, Mili 💪🏻. Te sabes el camino de vuelta, lo recorriste una vez y lo vas a volver a hacer. ❤️ @edermilitao pic.twitter.com/snVwDotX2k
— Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) November 9, 2024
Even former teammate Sergio Ramos reached out with supportive words, urging Militao to stay positive and look ahead. “Strength, Mili. You know the way back, you’ve done it once and you’re going to do it again.”
Kylian Mbappe dedicated the victory over Osasuna to Militao, Rodrygo, and Vazquez, a gesture appreciated by both fans and players alike.
Real Madrid prospect Alexis Ciria will have to wait for his Champions League opportunity despite making a strong impression on Jose Mourinho during pre-season.
The Castilla winger has been left out of Real Madrid’s European squad, but the decision is the consequence of UEFA registration rules rather than a sporting judgment.
According to journalist Arancha Rodriguez (h/t Defensa Central), Ciria was not eligible for Madrid’s List B because he has not been with the club long enough to satisfy UEFA’s requirements.
Registering him would therefore have required Mourinho to include him on the more restrictive List A.
UEFA rules work against Ciria
List B provides clubs with additional flexibility to register young academy players, but being young enough is not sufficient on its own.
Players must also meet requirements concerning how long they have been eligible to represent the club.
Ciria does not meet those conditions because of his limited time at Valdebebas. Real Madrid would therefore have needed to sacrifice a List A position to register him.
With those places required for members of Mourinho’s senior squad, Ciria was ultimately left out.
Real Madrid’s List B instead includes youngsters such as Joan Martinez, Mario Rivas, Thiago Pitarch, Jorge Cestero and Daniel Yanez.
Many of these youngsters made a name for themselves under Mourinho during pre-season and could be used to make up the numbers in the Champions League squad.
They could also get some minutes off the bench, especially against relatively easier opposition, as Jose Mourinho looks to manage first-team minutes.
Mourinho still plans first-team opportunity
Importantly for Ciria, missing the Champions League squad does not appear to reflect a change in Mourinho’s opinion of him.
The youngster impressed during pre-season and is expected to continue spending time around the senior team.
Mourinho intends to give Ciria his official first-team debut during the season. That opportunity will now have to arrive in La Liga or the Copa del Rey.
The Portuguese tactician placed a lot of emphasis on trusting Castilla players during pre-season in the absence of first-team stars.
Ciria was one of the many names who made a name for themselves at Real Madrid during pre-season. He deserves a chance in the first team, and it remains to be seen how Jose plans his development.
