Real Madrid have suffered a huge blow just hours before Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Liverpool as defender Raphael Varane has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the first-leg game.
World Cup winner Varane was set to start tonight and the news further depletes Zinedine Zidane’s squad, with captain Sergio Ramos also ruled out.
Real said in a statement on their official website: “Real Madrid C. F. informs that our player Raphael Varane tested positive in the COVID-19 test he underwent this morning.”
Eder Militao and Nacho Fernandez will now be trusted to keep out Liverpool’s three-pronged attack.
Nacho has proven a reliable fill-in during the course of the season and will partner the 23-year-old Brazilian, who has made only eight appearances this season, and started against Eibar at the weekend.
Zidane may well go with a 3-5-2 formation, having been willing to switch things around depending on which players are available, but however they line up, much of the onus to control Liverpool's attacking players will fall on the shoulders of Militao.
Real take on Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturday before next week’s second leg against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday.
