Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v FC Barcelona - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - October 26, 2024 FC Barcelona's Lamine Yamal in action with Real Madrid's Ferland Mendy REUTERS/Susana Vera
(Reuters) -Real Madrid have been hit by a wave of injury setbacks, with defenders Ferland Mendy and David Alaba both facing potential season-ending injuries, the Spanish club confirmed on Tuesday.
Mendy suffered a rupture in his right thigh during the Copa del Rey final loss to Barcelona, the Spanish club said on Tuesday.
Local media reports said Mendy could face up to a month on the sidelines in the latest setback for the France left back, who has already missed several weeks due to multiple injuries this season.
"Following tests carried out on our player Ferland Mendy... he has been diagnosed with a rupture of the proximal tendon of the anterior rectus in the right quadriceps," Real said in a statement.
A hamstring injury suffered in March kept Mendy out for more than a month, while a muscle injury had sidelined him for almost two weeks in December.
Austria international Alaba was forced off with an injury during Real Madrid’s 1–0 win over Getafe last week.
The setback comes shortly after his return from a muscle injury sustained in February, following more than a year of recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
After appearing as a substitute in Saturday's final, the 32-year-old centre back "has been diagnosed with a ruptured internal meniscus in his left knee," Real said.
According to reports, Alaba will undergo surgery before beginning a rehabilitation period for six to eight weeks.
Mendy and Alaba's injuries add to a growing list of absences in Real's defence, with Antonio Ruediger undergoing knee surgery earlier on Tuesday.
Real, who are four points off LaLiga leaders Barcelona going into the last five games in the campaign, host Celta Vigo on Sunday.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Janina Nuno RiosEditing by Christian Radnedge)
