Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger to miss three months of action with a thigh injury | OneFootball

Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger is set to be sidelined for the next three months after Los Blancos announced he suffered an injury in his left thigh.

Rudiger will not be available for Real Madrid as they face Real Sociedad tomorrow, leaving a gaping hole in the defence.

The German international has been dealing with niggling injuries for the past year and has struggled to find his groove.

The latest setback is another blow to his bid to re-establish himself in the starting XI.

New manager Xabi Alonso has stuck with injury-prone Eder Militao and new signing Dean Huijsen as his first-choice centre-half pairing, leaving Rudiger as a bench option.

Still, Madrid will be sad to lose their depth at the back, with only Raul Asencio, whom Alonso reportedly doesn’t trust and injury-prone David Alaba as central defensive options.

Rudiger might not be back in action for Los Blancos until the turn of the year.

It remains unclear whether the former Chelsea star sustained the injury during training in Madrid ahead of the Sociedad game or while on duty for Germany during the international break.

Madrid’s current crisis at the back is the direct result of short-term thinking.

The club gambled on waiting for Ibrahima Konate to become available on a free this summer, but his own fitness record hardly guarantees reliability.

Targeting William Saliba is a step in the right direction. However, it would be a mistake to drag negotiations out until 2027, when his Arsenal contract expires.

By then, Madrid risk being left behind while rivals strengthen decisively.

Rudiger’s injury highlights how thin the squad becomes when just one senior option is sidelined, forcing Alonso to lean heavily on Militao and an inexperienced Huijsen.

Madrid cannot afford to play the waiting game. Moving quickly for Saliba next summer would be a statement of intent and provide the defensive foundation Los Blancos desperately need.