Author: Chandra Moulee Das
Real Madrid received some unfortunate news at the start of the 2023/24 LaLiga season. In the opening match against Athletic Club, won 2-0, Éder Militão suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. This injury occurred shortly after Thibaut Courtois also suffered the same setback.
“After tests on our player Éder Militão, he was diagnosed with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The player will undergo surgery in the next few days“, said the club from the Spanish capital in a statement.
The incident occurred around the 50th minute when Éder Militão, while chasing Sancet, suffered an unusual twist to his knee, resulting in immediate pain. His visible distress signaled the seriousness of the situation, leading him to leave the pitch accompanied by the team doctors.
Carlo Ancelotti expressed his concern during the post-match press conference, although his prognosis remained cautiously optimistic. “It’s a sprained knee, it doesn’t look good. We’ll assess it over the next few hours. We can’t rule out a serious injury.”
Militão is expected to be out of the team for between six and eight months and will be absent for a significant part of the current season. This situation means that Antonio Rudiger will take over as the team’s first-choice striker, partnering David Alaba. In addition, Nacho will take over as the main substitute defender, ready to take to the field whenever his services are required.
It is not yet known whether Real Madrid will explore the possibility of acquiring another central defender to fill the gap left by Militão’s absence. The possible search for a temporary defender would not come as a surprise.
According to a source close to the club, Ancelotti has no plans to buy a player to replace the Brazilian. The coach hopes that the club already has enough defenders to close down this position
Éder Militão has solidified his reputation as one of the best central defenders in international soccer in recent years. Therefore, his knee injury is devastating and Real Madrid hope that he will recover properly.