A "Marca" journalist revealed today that there is a strong possibility a Real Madrid player will be absent from the pitches for an extended period, as the royal club began its season in a new era under head coach José Mourinho.
Real Madrid started its new season with a 2-1 victory over Espanyol last Saturday in the first round of the Spanish La Liga championship.
Several players were absent from Real Madrid's lineup against Espanyol, among them Raúl Asencio, the Merengues' center-back.
Marca reported that Asencio is suffering from a shin bone issue; he has been recovering from this injury since last season until now, and the center-back has not healed as expected.
The outlet added that Asencio was forced to adopt a new treatment regimen to recover from his injury. The player completed several therapy sessions at Valdebebas, but if he does not heal as anticipated, he will undergo surgery and will be sidelined for a period ranging from six to eight weeks.
Read also... Officially... Real Madrid unveils its new signing ahead of the Real Sociedad clash
It clarified that Asencio decided to push through and play despite the injury during the final stretch of last season, as Real Madrid needed his services amid numerous injuries.
Marca further noted that Asencio courageously risked playing for Real Madrid for the sake of the team, while undergoing treatment designed to remove abnormal cells from scar tissue on the shin bone; meanwhile, bone spurs formed in the player's foot and did not heal properly.
The report continued, stating that Asencio's recovery was incomplete last season, and his decision to play risked weakening his shin bones, potentially leading to a fracture. Ultimately, a non-surgical treatment approach was adopted, allowing the player to continue featuring for Real Madrid at the end of last season.
It added that Asencio's knee did not respond well to treatment after the season ended; the injury worsened, and the shin bones now threaten his current season. This may stem from an injury he sustained last season in the quadriceps muscle of the same leg, forcing the defender to adjust the intensity of his training during preparation for the current campaign.
If Asencio is sidelined for two months and undergoes surgery, it would represent another blow to Mourinho, who is already facing a crisis at the center-back position due to Éder Militão's injury. Currently, only Dean Huijsen, Ibrahima Konaté, and Antonio Rüdiger are available to play in this role.