The UEFA Champions League final has so many great story lines. The all-Madrid final is the first time two teams from the same city will meet in European Cup final, but some of the biggest stars are suffering injuries two weeks ahead of the big match in Lisbon.
Cristiano Ronaldo suffered another tweak to his hamstring on Wednesday, just nine minutes into Real Madrid’s 1-1 tie against Valladolid. Some news outlets are reporting he may actually miss the Final.
ESPNFC said the club and Ronaldo aren’t going to take any risks ahead of the match, which will likely end Real Madrid’s chances of winning La Liga.
Pepe, who anchors the Real Madrid defense, is questionable for the match against their city rivals. However, despite clear discomfort, the Portuguese defender played the total 90 minutes against Valladolid.
The club released a statement this morning saying, “After tests done today on our player Pepe, a grade 1 muscle injury was diagnosed in the calf muscle of his left leg, the [return date] depends on the evolution of the injury."
The club also said Gareth Bale, Angel Di Maria and Dani Carvajal are all suffering minor injures, but the threesome traveled for their Sunday match against Celta Vigo. Carlo Ancelotti could possibly look to Sami Khedira and Alvaro Arbeloa to prove their fitness, but the two have been absent through most of the season themselves.
Real Madrid isn’t the only side struggling with injuries ahead of the final. Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa is also struggling with hamstring issues and will miss Atleti’s Sunday match against Malaga, which also hurts their chances to ward off Barcelona in the La Liga race.
"Diego Costa has undergone some X-ray tests, which have found a grade one muscle injury in his right hamstring," a club statement said on Friday morning. "These tests have found that there is no tear. His availability will depend on how the injury evolves." The forward did not train with his teammates in Friday morning's session.
All of this news is a little unsettling for soccer fans around the world. Luckily, we are still 15 days away from the clash, but losing these players would be a serious blow to a game that is already generating loads of hype.
