Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal picked up an injury in the first-leg of the Champions League semifinal and has been out since. Here’s a look at his recovery and hopes for the Final.
Dani Carvajal has been absent for a few weeks now as he focuses on his recovery. The wing-back suffered a hamstring injury in the first-leg against Bayern Munich back on April 25th. In a recent interview, Carvajal spoke about his injury and the upcoming Champions League Final against Liverpool.
Here’s a look at what the defender had to say. All quotes have been taken directly from the Offical Real Madrid page.
Another Finals Appearance
"“It’s no easy task to reach the Champions League final. We’ve made it in four of the last five years and we’ve now got to finish the job. We’re on a winning cycle and let’s hope that in 18 days’ time, lady luck smiles on us and we’re lifting our third consecutive Champions League trophy.”"
Liverpool’s Success in the UCL
"“Liverpool had a really good Champions League campaign, scoring a lot of goals and showing themselves to be a really attacking side. Their journey hasn’t been an easy one either and they’ve knocked some pretty tough teams out along the way. Before then, we’ve got the Sevilla game tomorrow night and it’s one we want to win. We have to finish as high up the league standings as possible. We’re now that bit closer to Atlético and we’ll try and finish in second.”"
Recovery
"“I’ve now been out on the grass, I’ve started to do a bit of ball work and some running. I’m feeling great and it’s been quite a few days since I last felt any pain.”"
El Clasico
"“It was a very evenly matched game and it was a one that lived up to the name of El Clásico. For all neutrals it was a great spectacle that served up four goals.”"
While Carvajal may not fill up the stat sheets like some of his peers at Real, he is certainly a vital part of the team. This season, Dani has played 39 games over six competitions, totaling over 3,300 minutes. Carvajal has picked up seven assists this season, including the helper on the marvelous bicycle kick by Cristiano Ronaldo.
His work rate and fitness level make him such a versatile right-back. Often times, he is seen blazing up the right side of the pitch getting into the attack and being a menace to his opponent’s defense. Dani works very well with Lucas Vaquez providing support to shield any counter-attack as well as moving the ball forward.
Next: Three takeaways from Real Madrid’s loss to Sevilla
With La Liga all wrapped up, Zidane will likely rest Carvajal as much as possible. Zizou may provide the defender limited minutes during the final two league games of the season in an effort for him to feel out his hamstring.
Dani was influential in the last UCL Final against Juventus and will be this year. Having him as a part of the match days squad allows Real Madrid to press high without feeling vulnerable. Carvajal’s ability to get into the attack possesses a threat on both wings, something not many teams are capable of.
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