Two Real Madrid stars, which both played a part in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Real Betis, have been … [+] confirmed injured on Monday.
Two Real Madrid first team stars, who both started Sunday’s 2-0 win over Real Betis, have been confirmed injured on Monday.
Around midday in the Spanish capital, Madrid announced through a statement that its midfielder Dani Ceballos picked up a knock against boyhood club Betis after being handed a maiden start in 2024/2025 by head coach Carlo Ancelotti.
“After the tests carried out today on our player Dani Ceballos by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a grade III sprain with involvement of the ligaments in the right ankle,” official correspondence on the matter read.
Though the club hasn’t added an expected timeframe for recovery as it is common not to, MARCA reported that Ceballos – effectively replacing Jude Bellingham, who is also sidelined – will be absent for anything up to two months.
Marking his 150th appearance in a Los Blancos shirt, Ceballos was injured at the start of the second half before being hooked on 65 minutes.
That is when left back Ferland Mendy also left the pitch at the Bernabeu to be replaced by Fran Garcia, and he too has been confirmed injured by the French Football Federation.
Revealing that Mendy will be replaced by Lucas Digne in the France squad for Nations League matches against Italy and Belgium, the FFF said that the 29-year-old is “suffering from a pain in his right shin”.
“After discussions between the medical staff of Real Madrid and that of the France team, it was agreed to leave Ferland Mendy at the disposal of his club,” the FFF added.
As MARCA explains, an official statement on the matter won’t be released by Madrid regarding Mendy because it prefers “to wait to carry out its own medical tests at the club’s facilities”.
During a post-match press conference which followed the Betis win, Ancelotti voiced his disdain for the international break by saying it is “never good” because “it takes players away from you”.
“The biggest danger is injury. The only thing I ask is that they all come back well,” Ancelotti wished.
Before the break has even begun properly, however, it seems that the Italian has already lost two first team stars – though Mendy’s knock appears to be far less serious.
