In a dramatic and painful afternoon for Real Madrid, both Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão were forced off during Saturday’s Madrid Derby, raising fresh concerns over the club’s already fragile defensive stability. The injuries come at the worst possible time as Real struggle to maintain momentum in La Liga and the Champions League.
The derby at the Metropolitano ended in a disheartening 5–2 defeat for Real Madrid, a result that left fans and pundits alike stunned by the scale of the loss. Amid the thrashing, two of Madrid’s defensive pillars succumbed to injury, casting a shadow over the club’s immediate prospects.
Carvajal, the club captain and veteran right back, departed in the 59th minute clutching his right leg. According to Real Madrid’s medical services, he has been diagnosed with a tear to the soleus muscle of his right calf, an injury that is expected to sideline him for around four to five weeks.
The 33-year-old had only recently returned to action in July following a long nine-month recovery from a severe anterior cruciate ligament rupture. The latest setback is a bitter blow given his status in the squad and the extent of his previous injuries. In an official statement, the club said: “After the tests carried out today … he has been diagnosed with an injury to the soleus muscle of his right leg.”
Militão, meanwhile, left at half-time with what has been termed an ankle issue. He sustained the knock while executing a recovery challenge late in the first half, and although the injury is not believed to be severe, he was omitted from the squad that traveled for Real’s next fixture, a Champions League trip to Kazakhstan.
Sources suggest the injury is more of a contusion than a structural problem. According to match reports, Militão exited amidst clear discomfort, prompting medical scrutiny in the hours following the game.
Real Madrid’s decision not to risk Militão in the trip to Kairat Almaty underscores their cautious approach. Though not deeply serious, this absence further depletes their defensive options. With both Carvajal and Militão unavailable, Xabi Alonso is left to patch together a backline in a moment of acute vulnerability.
The timing could scarcely be worse. Madrid already enter this stretch of the season missing other defensive assets. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Antonio Rüdiger are also sidelined, and Ferland Mendy remains unavailable.
The absence of Carvajal leaves the right-back role in question, while Militão’s missing presence at center back further tests Alonso’s defensive depth.
In the aftermath of the derby, the scale of the defensive injury crisis was underlined by sports analysts. The substitutions of both defenders were somewhat lost in the chaos of the match, but they represent serious concerns for Los Blancos moving forward.
The backdrop of this alarming scenario lies in Madrid’s injury history over recent seasons. Carvajal’s long-term knee injury last season disrupted the squad’s defensive continuity. He suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, along with collateral and tendon damage, which kept him out for eight to ten months.
Militão, too, has battled serious injuries, including an ACL tear that derailed his 2024–25 campaign. That history amplifies the trepidation surrounding any new knock, even if less crippling in nature.
For Real Madrid, the implications are immediate and profound. The club must now rely on less experienced defensive options. Dean Huijsen, a younger center back, appears poised to get more minutes, and manager Alonso may choose to redeploy midfielders into the back line—a stopgap solution that was used last season under similar injury pressures.
In the right-back slot, Federico Valverde is among the candidates to step in, though it demands a positional reshuffle. Real’s upcoming schedule is unrelenting, and the team cannot afford further setbacks.