Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy will miss the upcoming Club World Cup after suffering a rupture in the proximal rectus femoris tendon in his right thigh. The injury will keep him out for at least 10-12 weeks – his fourth injury this season.
Damage history repeats itself
Mendy left El Clásico after just 11 minutes, and it seemed like a minor injury at first. But medical examinations have now confirmed the worst: a serious tendon injury that effectively ends his season. Even with Real Madrid’s known ability to shorten rehabilitation periods, it is unlikely that he will be able to contribute before the end of the season.
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This marks a tragic development for the player who has already been plagued by injuries all season:
- September: Right shin strain (didn’t miss games)
- December: Tear in his right thigh (4 games away)
- March: Tear in left thigh (9 games away)
- April: Current tendon injury (at least 8 games away)
Statistics that scare
Of Madrid’s 57 games so far this season, Mendy has missed 21 due to injury (37%). With potentially 12 games left (including the Club World Cup), that tally could increase to 32% of the total.
The Club World Cup represents a particularly hard blow – with three guaranteed matches and potentially four in total. For a player who has already struggled to stay injury-free, this will be further proof of his fragile physical condition.
Consequences for the team
With Mendy out, Fran García will have to take over as first choice at left-back. This significantly weakens Madrid’s defensive depth, especially in a period of tight fixture schedules.
The question that now arises is whether the club will consider selling the injury-plagued Frenchman in the summer, or if they still have faith in his ability to return to the top level.
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