Real Madrid have a number of tough fixtures coming up in the next few weeks beginning with the Liverpool game in the Champions League next week following which they face Barcelona in the EL Classico. But defender Sergio Ramos is set to miss both these matches.
The centre-back has been a stellar figure in defence for Madrid this season, making 15 appearances in the league so far but during the international week, the 35-year-old picked up a calf injury which is expected to keep him out for almost a month.
Daily Mail report: “Sergio Ramos revealed he has picked up a calf injury whilst on international duty and the Real Madrid captain looks set to miss the Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool.
“The 35-year-old featured for Spain against Kosovo on Wednesday but in an emotional Instagram post today, Ramos revealed he had picked up a problem in his left calf.
“Reports coming out of Spain indicate Ramos will be out for a month, meaning he won’t be available for Zinedine Zidane as they take on Liverpool in the last-eight, with the first-leg taking place next week.”
Sergio Ramos posted a message on Instagram explaining to the Real Madrid fans explaining how he picked up the injury and also kinda said sorry to them.
He wrote: ‘The truth is that I have been a pretty tough few weeks. An intervention is always a sporting and emotional break.
‘Luckily, for a few days now I have been feeling better, but in football as in life, bad luck also plays a role. Yesterday, after the game, I was training on the pitch and I noticed a puncture in my left calf. Today I have been tested and it has been confirmed that I have a muscle injury.
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‘If there is something that hurts me, it is not being able to help the team in these highly demanding matches in which we play the season and also not being able to return the love and energy that you transmit to me on the pitch.
‘I can’t do anything but speak frankly, work hard and cheer on the team with my soul.’
This injury comes as a big boost for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool who have an uphill task of knocking out Real Madrid in the two-legged tie which now is a lot easier since Sergio Ramos will not be available.
Zidane usually uses a three-man back line with Ramos playing in the middle of defence but now with the 35-year-old ruled out, the Real Madrid boss is expected to revert back to a conventional four-man defence with Varane and possibly Nacho playing in central defence.
