Why isn’t Vinícius Júnior playing for Real Madrid against Napoli in the Champions League?

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti doesn’t have his injury issues to seek at the moment, with first-team players dropping like flies in recent weeks in particular. The Italian named no fewer than six academy players on the substitute’s bench for Wednesday’s Champions League fixture against Napoli at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, with Vinícius Júnior, Luka Modric and Thibaut Courtois among seven regulars in the treatment room.

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Modric, Tchouaméni and Camavinga absent

Ancelotti’s midfield has been especially depleted, with veteran Modric (hamstring), Eduardo Camavinga (knee) and Aurélien Tchouaméni (stress fracture) all sidelined, which has led to a first-team call-up for Théo Zidane, the third son of Blancos legend Zinedine. The Croat could be back for the weekend match against Granada, although the French duo face longer spells out.

How long will Vinícius be out for?

But Vinícius’ absence may well be the biggest blow, given his importance to the Madrid attack. The winger was forced off the field in Brazil’s 2-1 defeat to Colombia on 16 November, with a club statement later revealing he had suffered “a tear in the biceps femoris in his left leg.”

As a result, the 23-year-old is expected to miss a total of two and a half months of action, with his returned pencilled in for January at the earliest. The Brazilian has scored six goals and assisted a further four in 13 appearances in all comPetitions this season.

Why isn’t Thibaut Courtois playing for Real Madrid against Napoli?

Los Merengues’ goalkeepers have also been struck by injury, most notably first-choice stopper Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian tore his anterior cruciate liGament in training just before the start of the season and may not play again until 2024-25. Kepa, signed on loan from Chelsea, as his replacement, also misses out against Napoli because of an adductor problem but could be back to face Granada on Saturday.

Just a matter of days after Courtois suffered his ACL tear, central defender Eder Militão sustained a similar injury in the opening league Game of the same away to Athletic Club and also faces a lengthy spell out of action.

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