Real Madrid’s derby defeat has left the club with another major concern after captain Federico Valverde was diagnosed with a serious ankle sprain.
The Uruguay midfielder picked up the injury during Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid. Real Madrid confirmed the diagnosis on Tuesday after medical tests.
The club said Valverde suffered a grade-three sprain in his left ankle. Spanish media reports suggest the 27-year-old could spend several weeks on the sidelines.
His injury could also keep him out of Uruguay’s upcoming friendly matches against Japan, South Korea and India.
Valverde suffered the setback after a challenge from Atletico midfielder Lee Kang-in during the derby.
The tackle quickly became a major talking point. Real Madrid argued that Lee deserved a red card for the challenge.
Jose Mourinho also highlighted the incident after the final whistle.
The Real Madrid coach arrived at his post-match press conference with printed screenshots of two Atletico tackles. He believed both incidents should have resulted in red cards.
One of the images showed Lee’s challenge on Valverde.
Real Madrid later confirmed the midfielder’s condition in a brief medical update.
“After the tests carried out today on our player Fede Valverde by the Real Madrid medical services, he has been diagnosed with a grade 3 sprain in his left ankle,” the club said.
Valverde’s absence now creates another selection problem for Mourinho. The midfielder has become an important part of his plans since returning to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Meanwhile, Madrid must respond to a derby defeat that has already raised questions about their start to the campaign.
The controversy surrounding Lee’s tackle has also kept the focus on refereeing decisions from the match.
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