Marcelo “Continues to be Assessed” as Real Madrid Lack Options at Left Back

The injury list in the Real Madrid squad continues to grow. The injury concerns in their mid-field has been a problem since the beginning, and now the full back department is  set for a major blow. Marcelo, who was expected to be back from injury, is still in recovery as per a medical report from the club.

Real Madrid released a statement on Marcelo that read: “Following the tests carried out on our player Marcelo by the Real Madrid medical department, he has been diagnosed with a strain to the biceps femoris in his right leg. His recovery will continue to be assessed.”

Marcelo has been one of the key members of the Real Madrid squad and his loss is certainly not the easiest to fill, especially with the new signing as a left back, Ferland Mendy also injured. Alvaro Odriozola or Eder Militao are now the options that manager Zinedine Zidane is left with, to fill the left back position, unless he chooses to go with a back three. Miltao might be more of a central player, but he is quite used to the wider roles as he has played at right back for Portugal.

Real Madrid now face Granada, who have been quite a revelation after beating Barcelona earlier this season. For the match, Madrid will also miss the services of Thibaut Cortois due to illness, and Zidane hinted in the pre-match press conference that Alphonse Areola would be starting the weekend game.

“Areola is a great goalkeeper, as is Thibaut, it’s important we have two good goalkeepers who are ready to play,” Zidane said.

Areola, who moved to Madrid from PSG before the start of the season, made an impressive start to his Real Madrid career in the Champions League match last week.

“Everyone in the squad is important and everyone knows their role, they train properly and want to play,” Zidane said. “I then must make the final decision, but of course some players are going to play more than others, Areola has adapted very quickly.”