Antonio Rüdiger is the latest Real Madrid defender to suffer an injury, leaving Carlo Ancelotti without many defensive options moving forward.
Rüdiger was forced to come off the pitch just 15 minutes into Real Madrid's 0–1 defeat to Espanyol on Feb. 1. The center back went up to defend a cross and came down awkwardly on his right leg. He immediately asked for assistance and soon limped to the sidelines with the training staff.
The injury comes at a particularly cruel time for Real Madrid with a Madrid derby and a Champions League knockout phase playoff tie with Manchester City on the horizon. Ancelotti will hope to get his best defender back into the squad as quickly as possible, but Rüdiger is looking at a lengthy layoff.
Here's the latest on Rüdiger's injury.
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When Will Antonio Rudiger Return From Injury?
Following tests, Real Madrid confirmed Rüdiger suffered an injury to the biceps femoris in his right leg. The club did not give a timeline for the defender's return, but he is expected to miss two-to-three weeks, per ESPN.
The hamstring injury will keep the Germany international on the sidelines for Real Madrid's Copa del Rey match against Leganes, as well as their La Liga clashes with Atlético Madrid and Osasuna. Rüdiger is also set to miss the first leg of Real Madrid's Champions League knockout phase playoff tie against Manchester City.
The target date for the defender's return remains Feb. 19 for the second leg against City, but one minor setback could see Rüdiger miss out on the Champions League fixture entirely.
Potential Antonio Rudiger Replacements for Real Madrid
It is no secret Real Madrid's defensive options are extremely thin. Ancelotti is already without Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal, who both suffered season-ending ACL injuries. David Alaba would be the natural replacement for Rüdiger, but the Austrian has yet to reach full match fitness after spending over a year on the sidelines with his own ACL injury.
Raúl Asencio is the only natural center back Ancelotti has left, and the 21-year-old only just made the transition from Real Madrid Castilla to the first team in November. Aurélien Tchouaméni will likely continue his emergency center back role and fill in alongside Asencio.
Ferland Mendy can also serve as a makeshift center back, but the Frenchman cannot even hold his starting position on the left flank. Ancelotti mentioned Fede Valverde as an option as well, but the midfielder has yet to try out the role for Real Madrid.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Antonio Rudiger Injury: Progress & Potential Return Date for Real Madrid Defender.
