The casualties of Ramos and Isco (from a puncture in the back) star in the list of only 17 players called up by Zidane for him tomorrow’s duel against Huesca. The center-back does not make it to the new league appointment as he continues to drag discomfort in his left knee and the Malaga player falls at the last minute, with which the white coach will have eight casualties and will pull homegrown players Chust and Marvin.
The situation of Real Madrid looks dramatic, having lost eight players in the last 20 days. A harsh reality that makes him travel to Huesca with only 17 players, of which three are goalkeepers, so Madrid does not even have to make the five changes that LaLiga allows. In addition, there will only be two substitutes from the first team on the bench, presumably Mariano and Marcelo. The Covid protocol prevented adding more homegrown players to the trip, since they had not passed the PCR that LaLiga requires.
Sergio Ramos will not be able to return to the rescue of Real Madrid tomorrow against Huesca. The white captain falls again from Zidane’s list and he will not be able to help get the team out of the tunnel of results that has caused the umpteenth crisis of the season. He has been out for 22 days (his longest absence since April 2019) in which the whites have played three games with a balance of two defeats and one victory.
Ramos decided to stop after force in the semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup against Athletic of the past January 14. A match for which it was doubt until the last moment for a few discomfort in the left knee. The effort has already cost him three weeks off that Madrid has paid dearly because, once again, the captain’s absence has coincided with painful stumbling blocks from the team.
Three of the four casualties that Ramos has starred in so far this season have had negative consequences for Real Madrid. There are already five defeats for the white team with Sergio knocked out. Five of 10 games that the captain has missed so far: six in the League, three in the Champions League and one in the Cup.
On October 17 he suffered a knee contusion against Cádiz that forced him to be substituted at halftime. Madrid would end up losing that game (they already lost 0-1 with Sergio on the field) and also the next one against Shakhtar, in which the captain was also dismissed due to said physical problem.
In November he suffered a muscle injury that kept him out of combat for three weeks. He missed five games, of which Madrid only won two (Inter and Sevilla). They fell before Alavés and Shakhtar and they tied before Villarreal. For the second time Madrid was sinking without their leader on the field.
The white team did manage to save the furniture in the third low of Ramos. Nail stomach discomfort in early January they made him miss the Celta league visit, commitment that Madrid took forward (2-0). The same would not happen in the last low, the one mentioned on January 14. Since then, three games, two defeats and one victory.
Facing the game against Huesca, Madrid will continue to be low in defense. Zidane only has a couple of centrals, Varane and Nacho, (Ramos’ loss is joined by Militao, sanctioned) and three more defenders: Odriozola, Mendy and Marcelo (Carvajal and Lucas also continue to leave). These four absences are also joined by those of Valverde, Hazard and Rodrygo.
The white coach will continue without being able to count on his starting central pair, although it recovers Nacho, which will return directly to the starting eleven once the Covid has been overcome to train together with Early. On the right side you must continue betting on Odriozola and on the left you will have the option to decide between Mendy or Marcelo.
CALL FOR REAL MADRID:
Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin and Altube.
Defenders: R. Varane, Nacho, Marcelo, Odriozola, F. Mendy and Chust.
Midfielders: Kroos, Modri, Casemiro and Marvin.
Forwards: Benzema, Asensio, Vini Jr. and Mariano.
