Real Madrid winger sustained an ankle injury during the clásico
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior could be ruled out for the remainder of the La Liga season due to a sprain in his left ankle. The injury occurred during Sunday’s clásico against Barcelona, where he was substituted in the 88th minute after experiencing discomfort. Vinicius initially attempted to continue playing, but the pain persisted and he was eventually substituted.
In a post-match press conference, manager Carlo Ancelotti said: “He had an ankle sprain. He tried to continue but it was bothering him, so I made the change.”
The club confirmed the injury in a statement on Monday, saying: “Following the tests carried out today on our player Vinicius Jr by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a sprained left ankle. The progress is pending.”
Vinicius joins a growing list of injured Real Madrid players, including Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga and Antonio Rudiger. With the FIFA Club World Cup on the horizon and having already played through a long La Liga season, Madrid could struggle in squad depth and fitness.
Vinicius is certain to miss Madrid’s next league game against Mallorca but it is not yet clear if he can feature in the other two upcoming games against Sevilla and Real Sociedad. The club will also be hoping that he will be fit for the Club World Cup, which begins on 18 June.
Real Madrid have little to play for in the remaining games of the Spanish League after Barcelona extended their lead at the top to seven points at Montjuic, so the focus may now shift to ensuring the winger can recover in time for their summer international tournament.
