Liverpool handed huge boost as Real Madrid key duo set to miss Champions League first leg
Real Madrid are likely to be without Ferland Mendy and Lucas Vasquez when they face Liverpool on February 21 at Anfield in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal.
The last time these two teams met was in the 2021/22 final, which Madrid won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Vinicius Junior, completing another treble for Los Blancos.
Currently, Real Madrid is preparing for a FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match against Al Ahly. However, several key players will not be available for the match including Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, as well as Ferland Mendy and Lucas Vasquez.
While these key players are likely to be available against Liverpool, Vasquez is expected to be sidelined until late February or early March due to an ankle injury sustained against Valencia in mid-January.
Mendy is expected to return in late March after suffering a thigh injury in the Copa del Rey quarterfinal victory over Atletico Madrid.
Mendy represents a significant loss given that he is Madrid’s first-choice player and has played in 129 games in Spain.
This shortage of available players has resulted in young midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who was recently named Real Madrid’s Player of the Month for January, filling in at the position.
In contrast, Vasquez’s versatility has allowed him to play multiple positions, and he has been a dependable teammate as a result.
Eight of his 15 appearances have been as a starter, but he has only completed 90 minutes on three occasions.
The first leg will take place at Anfield on February 21, followed by the return leg at Santiago Bernabeu three weeks later on March 15.
However, Liverpool can take solace in the fact that Madrid must play four games in just days prior to their meeting with Liverpool, as they seek to win the FIFA Club World Cup and close the gap on Barcelona with games against Elche and Osasuna.
Liverpool handed huge boost as Real Madrid key duo set to miss Champions League first leg
