Real Madrid suffer fresh injury blow ahead of Man CIty Champions League clash

Real Madrid have suffered a potential injury blow ahead of their Champions League clash with Manchester City.

City head to the Spanish capital on Tuesday night for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, and they do so on the back of a Premier League win over Leeds United, maintaining their title charge. Meanwhile, Real Madrid welcome Pep Guardiola’s men on the back of winning the Copa del Rey, defeating Osasuna on Saturday night in Seville.

But ahead of that final at La Cartuja, Carlo Ancelotti’s men suffered an injury blow that could leave them short for their date with City.

Dani Ceballos, who has been a starter over recent weeks, pulled up during Real Madrid’s final session before the final, and the injury led him to be left out of the starting XI. Ceballos was named as a substitute but was never in contention to get on the pitch.

The injury isn’t a particularly serious one, with the former Arsenal loan midfielder undergoing a scan to confirm that he is struggling with an overload in the thigh. That’s a short-term injury, but it seems very unlikely Ceballos will return in time for Tuesday night, given the short turnaround, and given there is a second leg to come.

According to reports in Spain, the aim will be for Ceballos to play a cameo role in this weekend’s La Liga clash with Getafe ahead of being fully fit and ready to take on Manchester City in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals.

Ceballos has usually been playing on the right-hand side of the middle three, but it’s likely Fede Valverde will now occupy that position, dropping back from the front-line, particularly given Rodrygo netted two decisive goals in the Copa del Rey final over the weekend, staking his claim.