Rüdiger, on the Edge, the German Center-Back Has Both His Meniscus and Hip Injured

One of the major drawbacks of Real Madrid's first team this season is the physical condition of its players. The injuries, which have hit the defense particularly hard, have forced Carlo Ancelotti to make unthinkable adjustments while footballers like Antonio Rüdiger or David Alaba were recovering.

Now that both have returned, the physical trainers and medical staff are keeping a close eye on the German '22'. Because since he arrived in the summer of 2022, he has played practically everything, with hardly any rest and at a very high level of demand. Despite the almost infinite robustness of the former Chelsea player, his body has said enough this season, presenting the first serious problems.

The first contraindication to this trend is a more extended rest, something that is not currently possible. The most important part of the season is approaching, and there aren't many options in the heart of the white defense, with Éder Militão injured and Jesús Vallejo not considered. Only the arrival of Raúl Asencio, as well as the occasional appearances of Aurélien Tchouaméni, have helped to relieve and provide some rotation to an Antonio Rüdiger who is at the limit.

Real Madrid fears for two very specific areas of his physique: the hip and the meniscus of his left knee. Not in vain, the footballer has already suffered several injuries in both areas of his body and even had to stop during the match against Espanyol due to a pain. The left knee, which he wears a bandage on to prevent problems during the efforts made in the middle of the match, could say "enough" at any moment.

Anything Can Happen

The same goes for a hip that, while it seems to hold up, has suffered several blows in recent matches. The lack of proper recovery from those minor discomforts, as well as a shortage of options that leaves him without rotation choices, are the issues to address in this case.

That's why in the Valdebebas Sports City, they have implemented a very specific plan to maximize Antonio Rüdiger's rest... without completely removing him from the dynamics of the merengue sports discipline. The resolution of the fight for the LaLiga leadership, as well as the Champions League knockout stages, are a consecratory moment that everyone wants to participate in.

The competitive spirit of the German '22' drives him to be present in those matches, especially knowing that there are no more options for the heart of the white defense. The coaching staff led by Carlo Ancelotti is watching him very closely because losing the Berlin central defender would be a competitive catastrophe at this stage of the season.

To prevent these problems from recurring in future seasons, the executives led by Florentino Pérez have decided to take immediate action. The possibility of making the signing of a central defender a reality has grown exponentially recently... because situations like Antonio Rüdiger's only encourage expanding the options by going to the transfer market.