Liverpool given big lift as Real Madrid confirm muscle injury to 2018 menace
Real Madrid have confirmed that Sergio Ramos has suffered a muscle injury, with reports claiming that he will miss both upcoming ties with Liverpool.
The Los Blancos captain picked up the injury after featuring in Spain’s 3-1 win over Kosovo on Wednesday. The 35-year-old, who is chasing the all-time record for international caps, came on with five minutes to go. However, he has only recently returned from a knee operation and revealed he noticed a calf issue in the warm-down.
Spain manager Luis Enrique gave Ramos his 180th cap on Wednesday, edging him closer to Ahmed Hassan’s record of 184 for Egypt.
However, amid his recent injury and the fact that Spain had already secured victory, Enrique faced questions from the media.
The coach said (via Madrid Xtra) after he played 45 minutes against Greece last week that Ramos “is at 100 per cent” and “feeling great”.
He added on Thursday (via Madrid Xtra) that the defender “deserves to break all the records”. However, his participation against Kosovo looks to have come at a cost.
A statement on Madrid’s official website on Thursday read: “After the tests carried out today on our captain Sergio Ramos by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he was diagnosed with a muscle injury in the internal twin of his left leg.”
While the statement insists that the extent of the injury remains unclear, ESPN claims that Ramos will miss both legs of the upcoming Champions League quarter-final with Liverpool.
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Ramos played a key role in the 2018 final between the teams and would prove a big miss.
Indeed, he also made a controversial tackle on Mohamed Salah which forced the Liverpool winger off the field.
Ramos reveals how he noticed injury
Taking to Instagram, Ramos opened up on how his injury came about.
He wrote: “The truth is that I have been a pretty tough few weeks. An intervention is always a sporting and emotional break. Luckily, for a few days now I have been feeling better, but in football as in life, bad luck also plays a role.
“Yesterday, after the game, I was training on the pitch and I noticed a puncture in my left calf. Today I have been tested and it has been confirmed that I have a muscle injury.
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“If there is something that hurts me, it is not being able to help the team in these highly demanding matches in which we play the season and also not being able to return the love and energy that you transmit to me on the pitch.
“I can’t do anything but speak frankly, work hard and cheer on the team with my soul.”
Ramos could also miss next Saturday’s crunch El Clasico with Barcelona, which is sandwiched in between the matches with Liverpool.
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