With 10 days to go before Real Madrid host Barcelona in the first Clásico of the season (stream LIVE on ESPN+ on Oct. 26 in the U.S.), both LaLiga giants have had plenty of injury concerns.
Madrid striker Kylian Mbappé and Barça forward Lamine Yamal each withdrew from the France and Spain squads, respectively, over the international break to return to their clubs.
Xabi Alonso will go into his first Clásico as Real Madrid coach with at least two players out, while Barça boss Hansi Flick hopes to have four members of his squad back in time for the trip to the Bernabéu but already knows that he will be without at least five key players.
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Mbappé and Mastantuono, almost 100% fit
Real Madrid prepare for the return to LaLiga action with very good news: Mbappé and Franco Mastantuono are ready to be called up against Getafe (stream LIVE Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPN+ in the U.S.).
Real Madrid reported physical problems for both players following the win over Villarreal before the international break, but the discomfort felt by both attackers has largely subsided, club sources told ESPN.
Mbappé suffered a slight sprain to his right ankle after scoring the final goal in the 3-1 win over Villarreal. He joined up with France, playing and scoring in their 3-0 win over Azerbaijan, but afterward withdrew with some pain and returned immediately to Madrid to finish his recovery. Mbappé’s feelings with 10 days to go before the Clásico are positive. He is not 100%, and Alonso does not want to push his star player, but he is expected to be available for selection for the match at Getafe.
For his part, Mastantuono was dealing with muscle fatigue and was at risk of injury with Argentina. He left the Albiceleste training camp without playing a single minute, and after his return to Madrid he has already completed several training sessions without any problems. The 18-year-old will be included in Real Madrid’s squad against Getafe and will be fit for the match against Barça.
Huijsen to get some playing time against Juve
Dean Huijsen is still recovering from a calf muscle problem. The central defender missed Spain’s matches against Georgia and Bulgaria, and sources have told ESPN that he will also be out for Saturday’s trip to the Coliseum. However, sources are optimistic about the Spanish 20-year-old’s condition.
After Huijsen was ruled out of Spain’s squad, Real Madrid’s medical staff carried out tests and diagnosed that he would be out for between 12 and 15 days. The defender is improving daily, and there is hope that he will be fit to play some part in next Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League clash with Juventus. This would mean Huijsen would be available for the Clásico on Oct. 26 at the Bernabéu.
Will Carvajal and Trent be ready for Clásico?
Right backs Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold are Real Madrid’s two big question marks for the match against Barcelona. Both are in the final stages of their respective recoveries, and sources have told ESPN that they each have a chance of playing in Clásico. Carvajal injured his calf during the derby at Atlético Madrid, and Trent injured his hamstring in the Champions League opener against Marseille.
Both players are already training on the pitch at Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training base “step by step,” a source told ESPN. Despite the positive signs, Madrid want to take it very slowly with both Trent and Carvajal and will not take any risks with their returns.
The most likely scenario, according to sources familiar with the day-to-day situation at Valdebebas, is that they will be called up against Barcelona but neither will start, due to fears of a possible relapse. Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde is likely to continue deputizing at right back.
How long will Mendy and Rüdiger be out for?
Real Madrid’s two long-term absentees are Ferland Mendy and Antonio Rüdiger. No return date has yet been set for either defender, although the news is very positive for left back Mendy, who has finally returned to training with the group and is approaching a return.
Mendy was injured in the Copa del Rey final loss to Barcelona in May and has been out for almost five months. Last week, he returned to training with more intense exercises and is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, although Madrid prefer not to set a return date after his muscle problems.
Rüdiger, who suffered a thigh injury on Sept. 12 during training prior to the match against Real Sociedad, will have to wait until late November or early December to return. — Rodra
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BARCELONA
Who will return against Girona?
Barcelona will recover some of their injured players to host Girona next Saturday (stream LIVE at 10:15 a.m. on ESPN+ in the U.S.). Yamal and Fermín López are already training with the group, so they will be on the roster barring any major surprises.
Something similar is happening with Ferran Torres, who left the Spanish national team’s training camp and returned to Barcelona to manage his muscle strain after feeling an overload. The club did not give him medical leave, although a specific plan has been made to take care of his fatigue.
When will Yamal return from his latest injury?
Before the break, when asked if Yamal’s presence for the Clásico could be guaranteed, Flick did not want to put any pressure on him and said he could be out for two, three or four weeks.
Yamal’s groin injury required rest — he missed Barça’s LaLiga trip to Sevilla before the international break and Spain’s World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria, despite being initially called up to the national squad before withdrawing hours later. Accurately predicting the length of his absence has been complicated, but his progress in recent days has been positive and he is already training with the group.
The club does not want to rush things, and the plan is to gradually incorporate the 18-year-old into the matches against Girona and Olympiacos in Europe on Tuesday so that he is in top form for the Clásico.
Lewandowski and Olmo ruled out
Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski, who were injured while playing for their national teams during the international break, will not be able to play at the Bernabéu.
Spain international Olmo, with a calf injury, and Poland captain Lewandowski, with a torn hamstring, are ruled out for Clásico, although Flick hopes that both will return by mid-November.
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Will Raphinha be available against Real Madrid?
Despite the complications that have slowed Raphinha’s recovery since he injured his hamstring against Real Oviedo last month, Barcelona’s target for him is for him to be available for the match at Real Madrid.
With Girona’s visit coming too soon for the Brazil international, the plan is to give him some playing time in the Champions League against Olympiacos so that he is 100% fit for the Bernabéu, where he scored a memorable lob in a 4-0 win last season.
Will Joan García be fit for the Clásico?
One player who will take a little longer to return is Joan García. Club sources have told ESPN that after Barça reported the goalkeeper’s injury just 30 days before the Clásico and predicted he would be out for between a month and a month-and-a-half, it will be difficult for the new goalkeeper to make it to the Bernabéu.
Although Joan García is continuing his recovery, it is believed that the Clásico will come a little sooner than desired and he is not expected to be able to participate.
How long will Gavi and Ter Stegen be out?
The two long-term absentees are Marc-André ter Stegen and Gavi, who will have to wait to be available for Flick again.
In the case of goalkeeper Ter Stegen, he is expected to overcome his back problems soon, although he is not likely to return to the pitch until 2026. Furthermore, with Joan García ahead of him, it remains to be seen what his role in the team will be or whether he will end up moving elsewhere in the January transfer window in order to get playing time ahead of Germany‘s FIFA World Cup campaign.
As for midfielder Gavi, who underwent knee surgery on Sept. 24, the intention is for him to be available for the final stretch of the season, returning to competition in March or April. — Lluís Bou
