Real Madrid square off against Atletico Madrid for the second leg of the Madrid Derby UCL semifinals. Here’s Alex McVey with an injury update on both squads.
Both Real Madrid and their cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid have been dealing with significant injury issues plaguing their squads in the early part of May. Atletico Madrid had to play the first leg of the semifinals without a true right-back, as both Jose Gimenez and Juanfran were out with injury.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, were without Pepe and Gareth Bale, who were also suffering from injuries. Additionally, Dani Carvajal went down with a hamstring injury during the Atletico match, which may cause him to miss the rest of the season.
Varane skipped a few training sessions before the Granada match, which he also sat out for. Zidane said that Varane had a slight discomfort and thus he was left out of the squad.
For Atletico Madrid, things are looking brighter. Both Gimenez and Juanfran returned to training with Atletico, and are expected to be available for the Madrid Derby second leg.
Zidane also received some good news on the injury front. Both Varane and Pepe have returned to training, giving Madrid some much needed depth at the center-back position. Carvajal and Bale are still working on their injuries and have not trained with the squad yet.
MARCA: Pepe took part in group training today for the first time since breaking 2 ribs. He could be fit for the #UCL semi 2nd leg vs Atleti.
— M•A•J (@UltraSuristic_) May 4, 2017
This center-back depth will be crucial for Madrid moving forward. Nacho will be needed to deputize across the back line for the injured Dani Carvajal.
Danilo and Coentrao were both able to play against Granada, bagging an assist each and helping lead Madrid to their second consecutive clean sheet. It’s great to see the oft-derided pair finally putting in some solid performances for Los Blancos.
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However, neither is as trusted by Zidane as the ever-reliable Nacho. Nacho slotted in against Atleti when Carvajal had to be subbed out.
Having Pepe, Varane, and Ramos all healthy will give Zidane some flexibility for how he wants to use Nacho, and give Madrid some options in case there are more injuries at the back.
Although every Madrid Derby is a huge match, Real Madrid will have one eye on the weekend fixture against Sevilla. It will be interesting to see which of Zidane’s players he decides to go with. Having so many players back from injury will be a blessing that can provide Zidane with the tactical flexibility he needs to get through this tricky part of the season.