Real Madrid Confirms Multiple Injuries

Real Madrid have confirmed that Dani Ceballos sustained a sprained ankle during their 2-0 win against Real Betis on Sunday evening.

Ceballos made his first La Liga start of the season, playing an advanced midfield role alongside Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo. He was substituted in the 65th minute for Brahim Diaz while the score remained 0-0. Shortly after Ceballos’ departure, Mbappe scored the opening goal of the match and later added another from the penalty spot, marking his first goals in La Liga.

While Real Madrid secured the victory, Ceballos’ injury is a significant setback. He will require treatment throughout the September international break and possibly beyond. According to AS, the 28-year-old could be sidelined for six to eight weeks, potentially causing him to miss the beginning of the newly restructured Champions League.

The club has announced: “Following tests conducted today by the Real Madrid Medical Services, Dani Ceballos has been diagnosed with a grade three sprain affecting the ligaments in his right ankle. His condition will be monitored for further developments.”

Last season, Ceballos made 27 appearances across all competitions, most of which were as a substitute. This season, with Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Luka Modric available, Ceballos was already facing a challenge to secure more game time. His opportunity to start on Sunday came as both Eduardo Camavinga and Jude Bellingham are currently sidelined with their own injuries.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti now faces the additional challenge of missing another midfielder and expressed concern about the impact of the international break on his squad. After the win against Betis, Ancelotti told reporters, “The international break is not ideal for us. We will be losing players, and I hope there are no further injuries. My hope is for all players to return fit.”

Aurélien Tchouaméni has pulled out of France’s squad for their Nations League matches due to a foot injury. The 24-year-old departed the national team camp on Monday and has returned to Real Madrid for further evaluation. While the injury is not considered serious, additional assessment will be conducted to determine the extent of the issue.

Tchouameni had started all four of Madrid’s opening LaLiga fixtures, having also played five times for France at Euro 2024 as they reached the semi-finals. However, he will now miss Les Bleus’ opening fixtures against Italy and Belgium. The midfielder is the second Madrid player to pull out of Didier Deschamps’ squad on Monday, with left-back Ferland Mendy also withdrawing due to a shin injury.