Real Madrid will be traveling to London without six key players for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal on Tuesday night, dealing a significant blow to their ambitions in the competition.
Among those ruled out are midfielders Aurelien Tchouaméni and Dani Ceballos, defenders Éder Militao, Dani Carvajal, and Ferland Mendy, as well as goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.
Tchouaméni is suspended for the encounter after receiving a booking in the previous round against Manchester City, while Ceballos and Mendy are still recovering from injuries that kept them out of Real Madrid’s 2-1 La Liga defeat to Valencia at the weekend.
Lunin, who played a crucial role in the dramatic penalty shootout victory over Atletico Madrid in the last 16, has yet to return to full training, leaving Thibaut Courtois as the likely starter at the Emirates Stadium.
Carvajal and Militao also remain unavailable, further depleting Carlo Ancelotti’s defensive options.
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There was, however, some relief for Los Blancos as UEFA confirmed that Antonio Rudiger, Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, and Dani Ceballos would face no sanctions following an investigation into their celebrations after the win over Atletico.
This decision ensures that several of Madrid’s biggest stars will be available for the high-stakes clash in North London.
With several first-team regulars missing, Real Madrid face a tough task against a confident Arsenal side seeking a return to the Champions League semi-finals.
