Real Madrid played short-handed against Getafe this past weekend, drawing 0-0 with a side that was in the bottom five of the table coming into Matchday 33. And this Wednesday at the Estadio Ramon de Carranza, Los Blancos will, likewise, be without a couple of star players.
Luka Modric is already expected to receive rest at Cadiz after playing 90 after 90 this season for both club and country. But he won’t be the only two players out, as Zinedine Zidane will withhold two additional stars from returning.
Via Madrid Xtra on Twitter, Zidane ruled out Toni Kroos and Eden Hazard in his press conference the day before the match at Cadiz.
Hazard has been out since Mar. 13 against Elche when he made an ill-fated substitute appearance after being out with an injury since Jan. 30. The Belgian immediately suffered a new issue and has been out since. There was talk he could return against Getafe, but Zidane elected not to bring him back against a physical opponent. But since Hazard isn’t playing against Cadiz, Madridistas are now worried about yet another setback for the winger.
Real Madrid must avenge a loss to Cadiz without their world-class midfielders
As for Kroos, he has been overworked this season, just like Modric. Kroos did not play against Getafe, and credit to Zidane for not caving and bringing him back in the match. We saw Kroos enter a match after initially having a day of rest earlier this season in the come-from-behind win over Elche. But there was no Kroos to save Real from a 0-0 draw.
Real Madrid lost to Cadiz 1-0 earlier this season, and now they must avenge the loss without the likes of Kroos, Hazard, and Modric. The task for Zidane’s men is to step up to the challenge. Some have definitely stepped up this season, such as center back Eder Militao. But others, such as Alvaro Odriozola and Mariano Diaz, are still struggling.
After an encouraging debut off the bench at Getafe, let’s see if Antonio Blanco gets his first-ever start for Los Merengues at Cadiz with Modric and Kroos not expected to play.