Real Madrid: 21 long-term injuries in 4 seasons, 9 already this term

📰 Real Madrid's injury nightmare is continuing into this season. 📌 Key points 🩹 Madrid have had 21 injuries lasting two months or more in the last four seasons. 📅 That is more than five a season on average. 📈 This season has already brought nine injuries in two months, matching last season's pace. 🏥 Last season there were 60 injuries, and only four players stayed fit all year. 🔄 Rodrygo and Mendy are aiming to return by the end of the year. 📝 What happened 📋 The Real Champs, citing figures from Marca, reported that Madrid have suffered 21 long-term injuries, of two months or more, over the last four seasons. Defenders such as Thibaut Courtois, Ferland Mendy, Éder Militão and David Alaba have been hit especially hard. 📈 According to Madrid Universal, Madrid have recorded nine injuries in the first two months of this season, exactly the same number as at this point last season. Last season there were 60 injuries in all, and only four players, Vinícius Júnior, Gonzalo García, Brahim Díaz and Fran García, avoided injury all season. 🏥 There are several long-term absentees. Rodrygo is targeting a December return from an ACL and meniscus injury to his right knee, while Mendy had hamstring surgery in May and is aiming to return by the end of the year. Militão, injured on 21 April, has recently returned to group training, and centre-back Raúl Asencio faces around four months out after surgery on a tibial stress fracture. 🔬 José Mourinho brought in Sandro Carriço from Benfica to head the sports science department and focus on injury prevention. The Real Champs also floated the new Bernabéu's retractable pitch as a possible factor, but admitted there is not enough data to back it up. 📊 By the numbers • Long-term injuries (2+ months) in the last four seasons: 21 • Injuries in the first two months of this season: 9 • Injuries last season: 60 • Players who stayed fit all last season: 4 🔭 Why it matters Madrid play five games in 16 days, from Villarreal on 10 October to El Clásico on 25 October, and centre-back Dean Huijsen is suspended for Villarreal. Any more injuries could knock their early-season challenge off course. Real Madrid host Villarreal at the Bernabéu in LaLiga matchday eight on 10 October.