Marca newspaper revealed that the career and health of Real Madrid star Antonio Rüdiger’s leg could be in serious jeopardy due to his incomplete return to play.
Rüdiger was sidelined for the past three months due to injury before finally recovering in the middle of last month and returning to action in the recent match against Girona.
According to the report, Rüdiger was only supposed to play 10 minutes against Girona, but the numerous injuries in the center-back position forced coach Xabi Alonso to rely on the German defender for the full 90 minutes.
This scenario will likely repeat itself against Athletic Bilbao and even in next week’s matches, putting significant pressure on Rüdiger’s knee and threatening the career of the 33-year-old player.
The ideal medical plan would have been to gradually reintegrate Rüdiger to prevent any muscle strain that could lead to injury. However, reality has forced the veteran defender into a different, and arguably very risky, scenario.
Since last season, Rüdiger has been playing through the pain despite needing treatment, which has resulted in a lengthy absence from the pitch over the past six months. There are fears that this scenario could repeat itself.
The good news is that the former Chelsea defender left the Girona match without pain, but it remains to be seen whether this will continue. Should there be any setback, Rüdiger’s absence could be lengthy, and he might never return to his former level.
