Real Madrid have been dealt a fresh blow ahead of their eagerly awaited clash against Inter Milan next Tuesday, the opening fixture of their Champions League campaign. Marc Cucurella suffered muscle cramps that forced him off in the closing minutes against Real Betis, a match that handed the team their first defeat this season.
The injury does not appear serious at present, according to Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo", but Cucurella's chances of facing Inter Milan look limited. Real Madrid do not return to training before next Sunday, which leaves the Spanish full-back among the potential absentees for the fixture.
Preferred over Álvaro Carreras in the selection calculations, Cucurella had started the match before the muscular pain from the cramp forced him off.
His injury lands at a difficult time for Real Madrid, who are already coping with a growing list of absences. Tchouaméni, Militão, Rodrygo, Mendy and Endrick are all sidelined through injury, while Güler, Bernardo Silva and Camavinga serve suspensions.
Los Blancos' technical staff will monitor Cucurella's condition over the coming days, given the importance of the clash against Inter Milan. That significance has only grown after the defeat to Betis, turning the start of the Champions League into an early test of the team's ability to overcome its crises.
