Ahead of their pivotal matchup with Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid is dealing with an increasing number of injury concerns.
These concerns are heightened by the circumstances surrounding Luka Modric. The seasoned midfield player would miss Real Madrid’s crucial encounter against AC Milan in Europe if he receives a yellow card during tonight’s game.
Two yellows in a short period of time
Having just played 53 minutes in two Champions League games this season, Modric has seen little action. He was given a warning in stoppage time during his brief appearance in Real Madrid’s 3-1 triumph over Stuttgart.
Modric was given a yellow card in the 81st minute of Madrid’s 0-1 loss to Lille in their previous meeting.
He has already received two cautions, so a third against Dortmund would automatically result in a suspension for the match against AC Milan.
Real Madrid’s problems
Real Madrid is already battling with injuries to important players, so this possible punishment might come at a bad time. Recently, Aurelien Tchouameni, who has played a crucial role in the midfield, had a muscular injury.
Despite his inclusion in the team for the encounter against Dortmund, manager Carlo Ancelotti is probably going to exercise caution and only deploy him if required.
It appears very likely that Modric will start against Borussia Dortmund given these conditions. His leadership and experience will be very important in this difficult time for Real Madrid.
To avoid losing the Croatian for the crucial match against AC Milan, Ancelotti may need to handle him cautiously as the possibility of suspension looms big.
Real Madrid must exercise caution to avoid being shorthanded in their quest for Champions League glory as injuries mount and Modric walks a tightrope.
