Madrid, Feb 6 (IANS) Real Madrid’s injury problems continued to increase when goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois suffered a muscle injury in his groin.
The Belgian international, who has been so important once again this season with some stunning saves, was warming up ahead of his side’s 1-0 defeat to Mallorca, when he pulled up and was replaced by Andriy Lunin in the starting 11, reports Xinhua news agency.
Early indications are that the goalkeeper has suffered a problem in his left abductor muscle and the club will carry out tests on Monday.
Courtois joins Karim Benzema, Eder Militao, Lucas Vazquez, Ferland Mendy and Eden Hazard on the injury list, after the club confirmed on Saturday that Hazard (who is very much a fringe player again this season) has tendonitis on his left knee.
The problem for Real Madrid is that they play Al Ahly in the World Club Cup semifinal in Morocco on Wednesday, with a possible final next Sunday and it looks as if Courtois has very little time to recover.
–IANS
cs
