Militao back on the ball as Madrid's defensive crisis eases
Brazilian defender Éder Militao returns to light training with the ball after two months out with a serious hamstring injury, boosting Madrid's defensive options.
Real Madrid’s defensive crisis finally showing signs of easing as Brazilian centre-half Éder Militao returns to training with the ball after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Light at the end of the tunnel
Militao has been in the treatment room since early December when he suffered a nasty tear to his left biceps femoris (hamstring) with proximal tendon involvement. After more than two months of rehabilitation, seeing the Brazilian back with a ball at his feet represents significant progress in his recovery journey.
This latest injury has been part of a proper mare of a season for the defender. Back in November, he’d already picked up a right adductor muscle injury that saw him miss two matches. His current recovery timeline was initially estimated at 3-4 months, so his return to ball work suggests he’s progressing well.
Defensive reinforcements arriving just in time
The timing couldn’t be better for Los Blancos, who’ve been down to the bare bones at the back:
- Rüdiger returned to action last week
- Trent is now back up to speed at right-back
- Other injury-prone defenders like Alaba and Mendy are currently maintaining fitness
Militao’s absence, combined with other defensive casualties, had left Madrid’s backline seriously depleted. With Rüdiger also spending time in the treatment room and Alaba unavailable, the manager was forced to get creative with his defensive selections.
The situation became so dire that Valdepeñas had to fill in for suspended full-backs Fran García and Carreras, while Valverde covered for injured right-backs Trent and Carvajal.
Defensive depth returning
While Militao still has work to do before returning to competitive action, his progress represents a significant boost to Madrid’s defensive options. After navigating a period where they were down to the last of the mohicans in defence, Madrid can finally see their backline taking shape again.
For a club competing on multiple fronts, having Militao edging closer to availability could prove crucial as the business end of the season approaches.