Real Madrid are currently experiencing some serious injury issues, with Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao out with a long-term ACL injury. Centre-back David Alaba only recently joined the injured list, and is also out with an ACL injury.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has decided not to blame the club’s medical staff for the injury troubles.

Ancelotti said: “The cruciate injury is unpredictable, it cannot be foreseen. This season players who did not have a knee problem have had injuries, some others do have discomfort there.

“Muscle injuries are different. It can be many things, a lot of load, tiredness… This can be evaluated a little more, but not the cruciate. We have fixed it well, let’s see what happens in the second part of the season.

“In March or April we can think that some will return, Militao or Courtois may return if everything goes well.”