Real Madrid News
Real Madrid defender will undergo tests today to determine availability for El Clasico
Antonio Rudiger was the hero for Real Madrid on Tuesday night as he scored a late header to help his team secure a 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League.
His goal ensured that Los Blancos have now advanced to the knockout stages of the competition.
However, Rudiger’s goal came at a personal cost as the German international was involved in a scary collision with Shakhtar goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin in the sequence leading to his goal.
As a result, the former Chelsea defender picked up a nasty cut on his forehead which left him bleeding on the pitch. As reported by Diario AS, Rudiger needed 20 stitches to close the wound on his forehead.
The report further adds that the 29-year-old will undergo tests today after the team returns to Madrid from Poland to determine if there is any more damage and assess whether he can be available for the weekend fixture against Barcelona.
Rudiger was easily one of the top performers for Real Madrid in what was an underwhelming display against Shakhtar last night. And having him available for the first El Clasico of the season will be crucial for manager Carlo Ancelotti.
The Italian tactician was pretty relaxed about Rudiger’s potential injury, stating that he was doing okay after the game.
“Rudiger has a cut on his forehead. Emotionally the player is fine. He is aware, he speaks, he smiles… he is happy because he has scored an important goal,” Ancelotti said in his post-match press conference.
And Real Madrid will be hoping that test results come out positive later today and that Rudiger will be ready for El Clasico on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Los Blancos are also waiting on a medical clearance for first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who has not played any match after the international break.
Arda Guler’s Real Madrid stint has not gotten off to the start he would have hoped to have given the expectation that preceded the transfer.
Having joined in the summer after Real Madrid outbid their competition to win him over from Fenerbahce for a 20-million-euro fee, buzz was high as the winger was expected to slot into the team quite seamlessly, albeit on a rotational basis.
Unfortunately for the 18-year-old, he has been constantly marred by injuries since completing the move.
Reports have stated that after Guler picked up his third injury since his move, Real Madrid have been concerned and want to take things slow with the player to ensure he is fit as soon as possible after an injury to his quadriceps this time.
The Turk is yet to make his competitive debut for the club, and Real Madrid even sacked their medical chief in November, in light of their injury crises since the beginning of the season.
No loan deal for Guler
However, according to Fabrizio Romano in a recent YouTube video, he states that Madrid maintain full trust and patience in the youngster.
Despite his bad luck with injuries, the latest of which he is scheduled to return from after Christmas, the Galacticos have no intention of loaning out Guler to Turkish clubs despite lots of speculation of them doing so of late.
Romano states that Madrid remain firm on not shaking things up too much with the squad, and they want to keep their roster stable, including Arda Guler.
They want to extend their full support and protection to the player as he aims to return to full fitness and finally make his bow for Madrid either by the end of this month or in 2024.
