Eder Militao's Thigh Injury Adds to Growing Center-Back Crisis at Real Madrid

Éder Militão withdrew from Brazil's squad after discomfort in his left thigh.

Éder Militão has been diagnosed with a muscle injury in his left thigh. / IMAGO/AFLOSPORT

Éder Militão is the latest Real Madrid defender to sustain an injury as concerns mount about the club's lack of depth at center-back.

Militão was forced to travel back to Madrid from São Paulo, where he trained with Brazil, after experiencing muscle discomfort in his left leg. The center-back underwent tests that revealed a thigh injury.

"Following tests carried out on our player Eder Militão by Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a muscle injury in the quadriceps of his left leg. His progress will be monitored," Real Madrid confirmed.

Militão is only expected to be out for around 10 days, per The Athletic. Despite the speedy recovery timeline, though, the injury is one of many hitting Real Madrid defenders over the last two months, highlighting a glaring weak spot in Carlo Ancelotti's squad.

Militão and Antonio Rüdiger are essentially Real Madrid's only two viable starting center-backs. If one of them was to go down with a serious, long-term injury, then Aurélien Tchouaméni, a natural midfielder, must drop back and play in Los Blancos' backline.

On paper, Jesús Vallejo can fill in at center-back, but the 27-year-old is injury prone himself and not one of Ancelotti's trusted options. He only made three caps for Granada last season on loan due to a fibular rapture, and in his sole appearance for Los Blancos this season, the defender saw Alavés score two goals in one minute. Despite joining Real Madrid in 2015, the Spaniard only has 32 caps for Los Blancos.

There are a few young defenders at the club, including 17-year-old Joan Martínez and 19-year-old Jacobo Ramón, but neither player has made a single first team appearance. Martínez also tore his ACL in August. Giving Ramón valuable minutes against Champions League or La Liga opponents when he has so little experience is a risk that Ancelotti is unlikely to take.

Normally, Dani Carvajal would be an option to slot in at center-back, but the 32-year-old suffered a season-ending knee injury against Villarreal on Oct. 5. Without a true backup right-back in the squad, Lucas Vázquez must move over to the right flank and replace the Euro 2024 winner, eliminating another possible replacement for Militão or Rüdiger.

In fact, if Vázquez picks up an injury, Militão would be the next player to adopt the right-back role, once again leaving a hole next to the Germany international.

David Alaba could solve a lot of Real Madrid's problems at the back, but the 32-year-old has yet to recover from the ACL injury he sustained in Dec. 2023. The defender suffered several setbacks during his recovery and still has no definitive date of return.

With matches against Celta Vigo, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, Valencia, AC Milan and Osasuna coming before the November international break, Real Madrid will hope to get Militão back to match fitness as quickly as possible.

The club's lack of depth at center-back, though, could prove a fatal roadblock in its La Liga and Champions League title defenses.

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