Courtois and Rodrygo to Miss El Clásico Against Barcelona Due to Injuries
The Belgian goalkeeper is sidelined for three weeks, while the Brazilian will have to wait to determine the exact extent of his injury.
Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid will miss the upcoming El Clásico against FC Barcelona on Saturday due to an adductor injury in his left leg sustained during Tuesday's 5-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund.
"After tests conducted by the medical staff of Real Madrid, our player Thibaut Courtois has been diagnosed with an adductor injury in his left leg," Real Madrid announced on their official website.
According to club sources, the goalkeeper is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks, meaning he will miss at least the Clásico, the away match against Valencia, and the Champions League game against AC Milan.
Courtois, who seemingly finished the match without any issues, played a crucial role in the team's comeback, making several key saves that prevented the score from reaching 0-3 and even 2-3 before Lucas Vázquez and Vinícius Jr completed the turnaround.
This was Courtois's twelfth appearance of the season and marks his second injury this season in the same area he injured in September against Atlético Madrid, which forced him to miss matches against Lille—the only defeat Real Madrid has suffered this season—and Villarreal, where Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin stepped in.
After three weeks out, Courtois returned following the international break last Saturday against Celta de Vigo, where Real Madrid won 2-1, thanks to another excellent performance from the Belgian goalkeeper.
Rodrygo: Strain and Awaiting Tests
His absence adds to the injury suffered by Brazilian forward Rodrygo Goes on Tuesday, who had to leave the pitch after feeling a pull in his right hamstring during the play that led to Lucas Vázquez's goal, making it 3-2.
The exact extent of Rodrygo's injury will be determined on Thursday when he undergoes an MRI, but he too will be unavailable for the Clásico.