Real Madrid CB crisis: Asencio out up to four months, only Rüdiger fit

📰 With Raúl Asencio out for up to four months after tibia surgery, Mourinho's Real Madrid head into a brutal October with Antonio Rüdiger as their only fit senior centre-back. 📌 Key points 🩹 Asencio had surgery on a stress fracture in his right tibia on 1 October. 🗓️ He could be out for up to four months and is unlikely to play again in 2026. 🟥 Dean Huijsen is suspended for the next match after his red card against Atlético. 🧢 Ibrahima Konaté is injured, leaving Rüdiger as the only available centre-back. 🏟️ Madrid play five games between 10 October and El Clásico on 25 October. 📝 What happened 🩹 Real Madrid confirmed that Asencio underwent surgery in Madrid on 1 October, performed by Dr Manuel Leyes, to treat a stress fracture in his right tibia. Reports say he had been playing through pain since the second half of last season. The club gave no exact return date, but Spanish media expect an absence of up to four months. 🧱 The bigger problem is cover. Huijsen was sent off against Atlético Madrid and will miss the next game, while Konaté, a free signing from Liverpool this summer, is injured. Éder Militão is still working his way back, prompting talk in Spain that the defensive depth is nearly exhausted just two months into the season. 🗓️ The calendar offers no breathing space: Villarreal at home on 10 October, Roma away in the Champions League on the 14th, Sevilla at home on the 18th, RB Leipzig at home in Europe on the 21st and Barcelona away on the 25th. With games every three or four days, it is a heavy load for one fit centre-back. ⚠️ The attack has its own worries: reports say Kylian Mbappé picked up a knock on international duty and may miss the Villarreal game. With question marks at both ends of the pitch, Mourinho has to rethink his rotation plans during the break. 📊 By the numbers • Asencio's expected absence: up to four months • Real Madrid matches between 10 and 25 October: 5 • LaLiga record so far: 5 wins, 2 defeats, 15 points (4th) 🔭 Why it matters A thin back line immediately raises the question of a January signing. Madrid are already six points behind leaders Barcelona, who have won all seven league games, so a defensive wobble could make El Clásico decisive. Will Mourinho improvise with a midfielder or full-back in the middle, or will the club spend in winter? The first test is Villarreal on 10 October.