Valverde joins Benzema on Real Madrid sidelines as Ancelotti loses another star man

Federico Valverde will miss Real Madrid’s Champions League game at RB Leipzig on Tuesday, joining Karim Benzema in being ruled out of the trip to Germany.

Uruguayan midfielder Valverde has been in revelatory form for Madrid this season and scored his seventh goal of the campaign in Saturday’s 3-1 win against Sevilla.

However, he took a heavy knock late in that game after being clattered by Papu Gomez, who was booked, and that blow has counted Valverde out of head coach Carlo Ancelotti’s midweek plans.

Our squad for the match @RBLeipzig_EN ! #UCL pic.twitter.com/4kTPuoU8Cc

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) October 23, 2022

Ballon d’Or winner Benzema was already expected to miss the Leipzig fixture, having been absent against Sevilla due to muscular fatigue in his left leg, and that was confirmed as Madrid announced their travelling squad.

Neither Valverde nor Benzema is expected to be sidelined for long, with reports in Spain indicating both could come back into contention for next Sunday’s LaLiga game against Girona.

Madrid have already made sure of a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League, and they will be confirmed as winners of Group F if they avoid defeat at second-placed Leipzig, who sit four points behind Ancelotti’s defending champions.

4 – @FedeeValverde has scored four goals from outside the box in @LaLigaEN this season. The last @RealMadriden player to score more such goals in a single campaign in the competition was Cristiano Ronaldo in 2015/16 (5). Hawk. pic.twitter.com/QjbTsmEPpm

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 22, 2022