Real Madrid: Injury updates on 3 absences against Espanyol

Real Madrid will face Espanyol in LaLiga on Sunday afternoon, seeking to get a win after back-to-back disappointing results. First, Los Blancos dropped points in the league last Sunday against Villarreal, drawing 0-0 in a match they could have easily lost. Then on Tuesday, Real lost to Sheriff 2-1 in a major Champions League upset.

Since Real Madrid are fully expected to beat recently promoted Espanyol, they must, likewise, avoid an upset on LaLiga’s Matchday 8. They will have one of their most important players back in the XI, as Toni Kroos is ready to start after missing the first seven league matches of the 2021-22 campaign with pubalgia. 

There will be a trio of absences from the squad on Sunday against Espanyol, though. Attacking midfielders Isco and Marco Asensio were not in the squad, while third-string striker Mariano Diaz is also out.

According to a report from COPE’s Miguel Angel Diaz, Asensio has a left gluteal injury, Isco has an overloaded back, and Mariano took a hit to the ankle during practice on Friday.

Marco Asensio is suffering from a gluteal injury

Mariano has not been a factor this season, and he may not ever play a minute for Real Madrid in LaLiga before he is loaned or, more ideally, transferred next summer. Hopefully, the injury is not serious and he heals up, but the harsh truth is that Madridistas are more focused on the injuries to Isco and Asensio.

In Isco’s case, managing his symptoms and training is likely going to be the outcome. He has a role to play for Carlo Ancelotti this season and has looked good at times. Injuries have held Isco back for years, so let’s hope his luck this season is better than Gareth Bale’s.

Asensio is the one to watch here. His injury may be something to monitor, and fans will be keen to get more information regarding the 25-year-old. While Asensio has been on the transfer market after a woeful 2020-2021 season on the right wing, he scored a hat trick in last week’s mid-week fixture, a 6-1 win over Mallorca.

Those three goals showed that Asensio still has quality in the right role. Asensio is a player dependent on his teammates and the matchup in front of him, but a healthy Asensio is an X-Factor for Real Madrid in this grueling 2021-2022 campaign.

We can only hope all three players will be healthy soon. All three will be out against Espanyol, which means more focus on Eden Hazard in the attacking midfield and potentially interesting decisions on tap for Ancelotti if the match is close in the final 20 minutes.