After losing the Copa del Rey final, Real Madrid are on course to end the season with a major trophy – and things are not getting any better for Carlo Ancelotti, who looks set to be removed from his position as manager when the domestic campaign comes to an end in May.
Disappointment in the Copa del Rey and Champions League means that Real Madrid only have La Liga left to fight for, but given that they trail Barcelona by four points with five matches to go, it will be tough for them to retain the title they won in 2023-24. And it will be even more tricky as Antonio Rudiger will not play again this season after receiving a six-game ban for his outburst during Saturday’s defeat to Barcelona.
And now Real Madrid will be without the services of another key defender for the rest of the season. Ferland Mendy was forced off in the early stages of Saturday’s final after pulling up, and the club have confirmed that he has suffered a rupture of the proximal tendon of the anterior rectus in the right quadriceps.
Ancelotti took the risk to start Mendy on Saturday after he only returned to training a few days prior, and it was one that certainly did not pay off. As per Diario AS, the France international is expected to be out for the next 10-12 weeks, which means that he would also be unavailable for this summer’s Club World Cup in the United States.
Mendy has had a tough season, with this latest injury being his fourth since last August. He will now aim to return in time for the start of the 2025-26 campaign, and in the meantime, Real Madrid will have Fran Garcia and David Alaba as left-back options for their upcoming fixtures, which includes another El Clasico showdown against Barcelona.
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