Real Madrid will be without their Brazilian winger, Vinicius Jr for Wednesday's vital Champions League visit to play Liverpool after confirming on Monday that he suffered a hamstring during Sunday's 3-0 win away to Leganes.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. (R) vies with Valladolid's Joaquin Fernandez during a Spanish La Liga football match between Real Madrid and Real Valladolid CF in Madrid, Spain, on April 2, 2023. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
"Following tests carried out today by the Real Madrid Medical Services on our player Vini Jr., he has been diagnosed with an injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg. His progress will be monitored," explained the Madrid website, and although it failed to give a return date, the player will probably be out of action for around three weeks.
Vinicius will now miss matches against Getafe, Athletic Club Bilbao, Girona and Rayo Vallecano in La Liga and against Atalanta in the Champions League.
The loss of the Brazilian, who scored a hat-trick against Osasuna in his previous appearance for Real Madrid, is a blow to coach Carlo Ancelotti ahead of the Liverpool match.
Vinicius has scored 12 goals and given five assists in La Liga and Champions League this season, outperforming summer arrival Kylian Mbappe. Perhaps, one consequence of Vinicius' injury is that Mbappe will be able to move to his preferred position on the left of the attack after spending most of the season playing in a more central role.