Serious injury sidelines Ferland Mendy for remainder of Real Madrid season | OneFootball

Real Madrid have confirmed that left-back Ferland Mendy sustained a serious muscle injury during Saturday’s Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona.

The 29-year-old was forced off after just 11 minutes of the 3-2 loss, with medical tests later revealing a rupture in the proximal tendon of the anterior rectus in his right quadriceps.

While the club did not specify a recovery timeline, multiple reports indicate that Mendy will miss the rest of the campaign and is unlikely to return in time for the Club World Cup, which runs from 14 June to 13 July.

His absence adds to a growing defensive crisis for Real Madrid. On the same day Mendy’s injury was confirmed, Antonio Rudiger underwent knee surgery, ruling him out for approximately six weeks.

David Alaba also remains a doubt for Sunday’s La Liga match against Celta Vigo, potentially leaving Fran Garcia as the only available natural left-back.

Mendy’s season has been marred by recurring fitness problems. Saturday’s final was his first start after a nine-game absence, only for it to be cut short by yet another setback.

In total, the France international has made 31 appearances across all competitions this season, but his continued struggle with injuries has been a concern since joining the club in 2019.

Real Madrid remain four points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race with five games remaining. They will face their arch-rivals again in the final Clasico of the season on 11 May, a fixture that could have significant implications for the title.

Having lost all three previous meetings against Barcelona this term, Real’s hopes of a late push could depend heavily on how they manage their depleted back line.

Garcia is expected to start against Celta Vigo this weekend, but Carlo Ancelotti may have to turn to less conventional defensive options as the campaign enters its final stretch.

The loss of both Mendy and Rudiger further complicates matters for Madrid, whose schedule remains intense across domestic and European fronts.

Their squad depth will now face a stern test in the weeks ahead