Carvajal could be back from injury after the FIFA break

Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal is using this FIFA break to recover from the muscle injury he suffered more than a month ago against Valencia. The Spanish defender has completed some light training in Valdebebas this week and if everything goes according to plan, he should be ready to play when Real Madrid face Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions League Quarterfinals.

Carvajal has only played 85 minutes in 2021 but is still a crucial player for Real Madrid, so his return would be vital against such a physical, quality team like Liverpool. Furthermore, Los Blancos don’t have a reliable replacement for him. Lucas Vazquez has done a good job considering he’s not a pure right-back, but he could be a liability against Liverpool.

Given his recent injuries, it’s clear that coach Zinedine Zidane and the rest of the coaching staff should take a cautious approach with Carvajal’s return, especially considering how tricky muscle injuries are. Still, his presence on the pitch would be important enough for Zidane to consider his return as key.