Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal Sidelined for Month with Injury

Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal out for four weeks

Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal out for around a month with soleus muscle injury, potentially missing key fixtures, likely to miss Barcelona's visit on October 26.

“After the tests carried out today on our player Carvajal by the Real Madrid Medical Services...”

Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal has been diagnosed with a calf injury, specifically an injury to the soleus muscle of his right leg. The club announced the news on Sunday after Carvajal was forced off the field in the 5-2 derby loss to Atletico Madrid. Real Madrid's medical services conducted tests on Carvajal, leading to this diagnosis. The injury will likely keep him sidelined for around a month, according to Spanish media reports.

Carvajal's absence is expected to impact several key matches, including the highly anticipated Clasico against Barcelona on October 26 at the Santiago Bernabeu. He will also miss Champions League games against Kairat Almaty and Juventus, as well as league clashes with Villarreal and Getafe. Additionally, Carvajal's injury might affect his participation in Spain's upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Fellow right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is also injured with a hamstring issue, making him a doubt for the match against Barcelona. This leaves manager Xabi Alonso with limited options in defense. Fede Valverde could potentially fill in at right-back, as he has done previously. The absence of Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold poses a significant challenge for Real Madrid's defensive lineup.

Quote from Real Madrid's Statement

“After the tests carried out today on our player Carvajal by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the soleus muscle of his right leg,” Real said in a statement. This injury adds to Carvajal's injury woes, having returned to action in July after a nine-month layoff with a serious ACL injury.

Carvajal medical report.

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 28, 2025

The injury crisis in defense is worsening, with Trent Alexander-Arnold already sidelined until late November due to a hamstring injury. Antonio Rudiger's unavailability adds to the challenge. Alonso will need to rely on alternatives like Federico Valverde or young academy graduate Raul Asencio to fill the gap at right-back.

Read Also: Xabi Alonso: 'We're Still in a Phase of Development'

Upcoming Fixtures

Real Madrid's schedule is packed, with a crucial Champions League match against Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan on Tuesday. The team's defensive struggles will be put to the test, and Alonso will need to find a solution to shore up the backline in Carvajal's absence.