Ceballos Joins Real Madrid's Growing Injury List With Soleus Problem
Dani Ceballos has picked up a muscular injury to his right soleus, ruling him out for four to six weeks and missing games against Benfica and Getafe.
Real Madrid’s injury woes deepened on Saturday as Dani Ceballos became the latest name added to the treatment table, after a miserable afternoon in Pamplona ended with both a defeat and a diagnosis.
What Happened?
Ceballos came on as a substitute in the 83rd minute against Osasuna, replacing Güler, and managed to pick up a muscular injury to the soleus in his right leg in that short cameo. To make matters worse, a lost boot from the Andalusian midfielder directly contributed to Osasuna’s winning goal — an absolute nightmare of a cameo, all things considered.
Real Madrid’s medical services confirmed the injury after tests on Sunday, and the club issued a bulletin stating the diagnosis and that his recovery would be monitored closely.
How Long Is He Out?
With a muscular tear of this nature, the typical timeline is four to six weeks on the sidelines. That means Ceballos will definitely miss:
- Wednesday — the Champions League tie against Benfica
- Next Monday — the La Liga clash with Getafe
And realistically, depending on how the recovery goes, he could be absent for a good chunk of March as well. Not ideal for a player who was only just starting to find his feet under the new manager.
A Tough Season All Round
This feels like a cruel blow for Ceballos, who hasn’t had the easiest time of it at Madrid for a while now. He didn’t nail down a regular spot under Xabi Alonso, and while Arbeloa had been giving him a few more opportunities to get involved, this setback has put the brakes on any momentum he was building.
The lad from Utrera did take to social media after the Osasuna game to hold his hands up about the boot incident, posting “Asumo mi responsabilidad” alongside an apologetic emoji. Fair play to him for owning it — that sort of honesty doesn’t always come easy after a result like that.
The Bigger Picture
For Real Madrid, the timing is proper dodgy. The squad’s injury list has been growing steadily, and losing a midfield option — even a fringe one — ahead of a Champions League knockout fixture is far from ideal. Arbeloa will need to shuffle his pack once again as Madrid try to navigate a congested and increasingly tricky run of fixtures.
Keep an eye on Ceballos’s recovery timeline over the next couple of weeks. If he can come back at the shorter end of that four-to-six-week window, he might still have a role to play before the season’s out.