Álvaro Arbeloa Out Three Weeks With Fractured Kneecap, Will Miss El Clásico

Álvaro Arbeloa broke his right patella and will be out three weeks. That means that Carlo Ancelotti will need to start Daniel Carvajal at right back against Barcelona with the Liga BBVA at stake.

According to several reports on the Spanish press, the doctors tried to prevent an injury in order to get to El Clásico in full condition, but that right patella ended up having a stress fracture. Arbeloa's injury could be recovered for Real Madrid's first leg of the Champions League Quarterfinals.

Carlo Ancelotti had been rotating his right backs for most of the season, using Arbeloa for the toughest matches. Still, Arbeloa's form has not been great this season, so this injury should not worry the coaching staff much other if Carvajal stays away from suspensions and injuries himself. Carvajal will now have to start El Clásico, where he gave Neymar too much space and allowed him to score at the Camp Nou when both teams first met this season.