Courtois injury has been a big blow to Real Madrid on the eve of their big quarter-final match in the UEFA champions league.
Thibaut Courtois, a Belgian goalkeeper, is likely to have been out of action up to six weeks after he sustained a muscle injury. The club reported that the problem is on the rectus femoris in his right quadriceps which is worse than initially imagined.
Courtois had already been struggling at the last match with Manchester City. He was forced to retire at half-time because of the inconvenience, which cast premature fears among the club. These fears are now proven with a more extended recovery period.
Without him in the second half, Madrid got a good win of 2-1 at the Etihad. Vinicius Junior was up to task with two important objectives. The giants of the Spanish league had already gained a strong base by a definite leadership in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Federico Valverde had delivered an unforgettable performance in that previous game and scored a hat-trick and assisted his side to take charge of the game. The performance on the whole indicated the depth of the Madrid attack and power in the midfield.
But now the Courtois injury causes the focus and is on their defensive steadiness. He will be missed particularly against a high quality side such as Bayern Munich in the next round.
There will now be a test of goalkeeping depth. Madrid needs to have back-ups that will act fast to ensure that consistency is upheld at all times.
This injury may affect the chances of Madrid in the decisive part of the Champions League. The next weeks will play a decisive role on how they will adjust in the absence of one of their most trusted players.
