Real Madrid and Brazil center back Éder Militão came off with an apparent injury in Seleção’s international friendly against Tunisia.
Brazil medical staff tended to Militão in the second half after he looked to be in discomfort. The center back received a pass from Marquinhos on the halfway line before passing it out wide. Militão immediately looked to be in pain as he asked for the ball to be put out of play.
Carlo Ancelotti made a change bringing on Fabricio Bruno as the Real Madrid man walked off with trainers. The center back is dealing with an adductor injury, according to Fabrizio Romano, and is set to undergo testing.
Militão is the second Real Madrid defender to pick up an injury this window after Dean Huijsen withdrew from the Spain national team camp with a groin problem. Kylian Mbappé and Eduardo Camavinga were also sent home from France.
Alonso to Rely on Inexperienced Center Back Pairing
Militão has been injury-free to begin the season, but any potential absence will be of great concern to both Madrid and Brazil.
The center back missed the majority of the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons with ACL tears. While the severity of his latest injury remains to be seen, he has missed time through muscular injuries in the past.
A potential spell on the sidelines comes at a terrible time for Madrid manager Xabi Alonso. Aurélien Tchouaméni and Franco Mastantuono are dealing with injuries while Antonio Rüdiger and Dani Carvajal are out for extended periods. The latter underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in October.
If Militão and Huijsen both have to miss time, and emergency center back Tchouaméni remains out, Alonso could be forced to deploy the recently returned David Alaba and Raúl Asencio centrally. Given Madrid’s star power at the position, a less than ideal scenario after seeing their La Liga lead shrink to three points before the break.
Asencio featured prominently last season under Ancelotti making 23 appearances in La Liga and 10 more in the Champions League during the Italian’s own injury crisis. Though, under Alonso, the Spaniard has been resigned to being a squad player making just three starts in La Liga.
Alaba has been injury stricken himself in recent years. Over the last two campaigns, Alaba missed over 90 games for club and country with meniscus and ACL tears.
Real Madrid return to action on Sunday, Nov. 23 against Elche.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid Injuries Piling Up With Star Defender Hurt in International Friendly.
