Marcelo was magnificent on Matchday 22/23 against Getafe at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, turning back the clock in what actually amounted to a midfield role in Real Madrid‘s surprising “back three” formation.
But as “luck” would have it for Los Blancos in the 2020-2021 season, Marcelo suffered an injury during his best performance of the season so far.
According to a report from COPE’s Miguel Angel Diaz (tweet in Spanish), the experienced left back will be out for about three weeks due to a left soleus muscle injury.
That means Marcelo will miss matches against Valencia this weekend, Real Valladolid the weekend after, Atalanta in the Champions League on Feb. 24, and even against Real Sociedad to start March.
Marcelo is the latest notable Real Madrid player to suffer an injury
It’s the latest tough blow for Real Madrid, who are currently without Eden Hazard, Rodrygo Goes, and Sergio Ramos due to long-term injuries. Fede Valverde, Dani Carvajal, Alvaro Odriozola, Eder Militao, and Lucas Vazquez have also been out for Los Blancos.
Marcelo isn’t a starter for Real in most circumstances, so Ferland Mendy should be able to hold down the fort in the upcoming three to four matches that the 32-year-old is expected to miss.
And when the legendary left back returns from his injury, he could be ready to make an impact on the Royal Whites as a midfielder. Real Madrid need the boost in creativity, and Madridistas will be excited to see if Marcelo can rewrite the late stages of his legacy with the club by flourishing in a different role that takes full advantage of his best skills.
For now, Real will have to keep leaning on Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Vinicius Junior, and Karim Benzema creatively in the final third. At left back, Mendy has been a major asset defensively, though his recent performance against Getafe also raises questions about his best fit, given how well he played as a center back in the back three.