Real Madrid News
The FIFA virus hits Real Madrid as the club suffer a concerning number of injuries this season
The dreaded ‘FIFA virus’ has been a common grievance for elite clubs for years, referring to the physical toll and injuries players sustain while away on international duty.0
However, data suggests that Real Madrid suffers a disproportionately high number of setbacks during World Cup years compared to other clubs.
The impact of FIFA Virus at Real Madrid
Looking back at the 2022-23 campaign – the year of the Qatar World Cup – Real Madrid accumulated a staggering 72 injuries, reports Diario AS.
This figure was double that of their fiercest rivals, FC Barcelona, who recorded just 36 injuries during the same period.
While that season was considered an anomaly due to the tournament being played in winter, leading to unusual fatigue, the trend appears to be repeating itself in the current campaign.
The statistics for the current 2025-26 season are already setting off alarm bells at Valdebebas.
With the recent absence of Kylian Mbappe, who missed the clash against Manchester City, Xabi Alonso’s squad has now suffered 44 injuries this season.
The list includes minor knocks but also devastating long-term absences for key starters like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal, and Éder Militão.
To put the severity of this crisis into perspective, Real Madrid have not even reached the halfway point of the league campaign, yet they have already surpassed Barcelona’s total injury count (36) from the entire 2022-23 season.
With the 2026 World Cup looming at the end of the tunnel, the injury projection for the remainder of the season is alarming.
Despite constant pleas from players and coaches to lighten the calendar, FIFA currently shows no intention of reducing the number of matches.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
