Real Madrid Dealing with New Injury Concerns Ahead of Arsenal Second Leg

Real Madrid’s hopes of pulling off a comeback in their Champions League quarter-final tie against Arsenal have taken another hit with fresh injury concerns ahead of the second leg.

Arsenal, who carry a commanding 3-0 lead into the return fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu, dominated the first leg thanks to two goals from Declan Rice—both from set-pieces—and a third from Mikel Merino, sealing a stunning night at the Emirates Stadium.

Despite the deficit, Madrid are known for their dramatic comebacks on European nights, so the tie is not completely over. Still, Opta Analyst currently gives Arsenal a 96% chance of advancing to the semi-finals.

Real Madrid are already dealing with a number of absentees. Eduardo Camavinga is suspended after receiving a red card late in the first leg, while Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal, and Dani Ceballos are all sidelined with injuries.

Now, journalist Guillermo Rai reports that both David Alaba and Federico Valverde have experienced discomfort and are undergoing medical tests. While early evaluations suggest the problems might not be serious, their status for the second leg is uncertain.

Alaba struggled at left-back trying to keep up with Bukayo Saka, while Valverde filled in at right-back in Carvajal’s absence—a role outside his natural midfield position.

On Arsenal’s side, there are also some injury concerns. Both Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were subbed off in the second half after picking up knocks. However, manager Mikel Arteta played down fears of anything serious. “Yeah, I think Dec had an issue with his foot,” Arteta told reporters. “Bukayo got a knock from a foul. Doesn’t look serious.”

Both players were seen walking after the match, which adds to the optimism that they’ll be fit for the trip to Madrid.