Real Madrid suffered a double blow, losing both Theo Maledon and Mikael Jantunen to injury during their EuroLeague clash with Fenerbahce. The Spanish side ran out 19-point winners, but coach Pedro Martinez will now be without two key men just as his team hits its best form of the season.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, initial examinations revealed Maledon has sprained his right knee, while Jantunen is suffering from a complete tear of the plantar fascia. The length of each player's absence will vary with the nature of the injury and how well they respond to treatment.
Maledon's injury could sideline him for anywhere between two and six weeks, with the severity not yet clear. Jantunen's situation looks more complicated. He needs at least five weeks to recover and could require surgery.
Both men went down against Fenerbahce. Maledon fell awkwardly as he tried to break through the Turkish side's defence following a challenge from Colson, while Jantunen lasted only 7 minutes and 52 seconds. Martinez admitted after the game that the Finn's condition did not look good.
The timing could hardly be worse for Real Madrid. Maledon had become one of their most important players since the start of the season, and he was outstanding against Fenerbahce, scoring 26 points with an efficiency rating of 35 to finish as the best performer on the floor.
Jantunen, who joined from Fenerbahce in the summer transfer window, has also made a strong start. He shares the power forward spot with Jaime Pradilla, averaging 10.5 points in the Spanish league and shooting a remarkable 63% from three-point range.
Real Madrid had won six of their first nine EuroLeague matches. They have also kept their Spanish league record unblemished, bouncing back from three opening defeats to reel off a run of nine straight wins.
That latest win over Fenerbahce underlined the form Martinez's side are in. They put up 95 points against one of the toughest defensive teams in Europe at the Movistar Arena, in front of 9,826 spectators.
Next up is Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos on Sunday 1 November at 12:30pm in the Spanish league. All eyes are on how the coaching staff will cover for Maledon and Jantunen, with fixtures piling up across both domestic and continental fronts.