Real Madrid worried about potential injury blows to two key players on international duty | OneFootball

Real Madrid are heading into the international break with a deep sense of concern, particularly regarding the fitness of Vinicius Jr. and Federico Valverde.

According to a report from SPORT, the club is bracing itself for potential setbacks, as a significant portion of the squad will be away on international duty.

It must be noted that Carlo Ancelotti will temporarily lose 16 out of the 23 players currently part of his first-team squad.

This leaves only a handful of players available for training, with Fran Garcia and Lucas Vazquez being the only two fully fit options.

Meanwhile, several key figures, such as Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Dani Ceballos, Ferland Mendy, and Jesus Vallejo, remain sidelined as they continue their respective recovery processes.

Concerned about two players

Among those departing for international duty, two names stand out as particular concerns for Real Madrid—Vinicius and Federico Valverde.

The Brazilian forward has been struggling with discomfort since the second leg of the Madrid derby against Atletico Madrid and was subsequently left out of the starting XI against Villarreal.

Despite not being at full fitness, he is set to feature in two physically demanding matches for Brazil against Colombia and Argentina.

Real Madrid are concerned over fitness of Vinicius and Valverde. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

On the other hand, Valverde has been one of the most overworked players this season. He has accumulated more minutes than any other player across the continent, forcing Ancelotti to give him some rest in late February and early March.

Despite his exceptional physical attributes, the midfielder is being pushed to his limits, which raises concerns about fatigue and potential injuries.

Increasing risk

The high risk of injury within the squad stems from the intense workload many players have endured throughout the campaign.

Ancelotti’s reluctance to rotate his squad regularly and his tendency to avoid using all five substitutions in matches have contributed to the situation. As a result, Real Madrid have been plagued by physical setbacks all season.

So far, only a handful of players—Luka Modric, Fran García, Arda Guler, Endrick, and Andriy Lunin—have managed to avoid injuries this term.

However, with the final stretch of the campaign fast approaching, any fitness issues arising during the international break could have serious consequences for the club’s ambitions.

Real Madrid remain in contention across multiple competitions and given the importance of these matches, the club will be keeping a close eye on its 16 internationals, hoping they return unscathed from their national team duties.