FC Barcelona have a season-defining match coming up, as they are set to face their traditional rivals Real Madrid in the semi-finals of Copa del Rey. This match could not have come at a more difficult time for La Blaugrana, as they have a number of key players, including Pedri, Dembele, and Lewandowski, out of action with injuries.
However, while significantly milder than the Catalans, Los Blancos also have their own injury problems. Their two key defensive players, i.e. Ferland Mendy and David Alaba, are out for this tie.
David Alaba picked up an injury in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against Liverpool, due to which he had to miss a significant portion of that match, as well as missing the league derby against Atletico Madrid last Saturday.
He is currently working to recover from this injury in his right femoral biceps and is expected to be out for one month. This latest injury came quickly after he had recovered from another injury that he had suffered in a league match against Villareal.
Ferland Mendy has also been injured for some time now, as he suffered an injury in the Copa del Rey Quarterfinals tie against Atletico on 26th January. This injury affected his semimembranosus muscle of the left leg, and his exact time off was not clear in his first medical report. This period is expected to go up to two months.
Real Madrid have been having problems in replacing him in the lineup, as they tried three players in his absence, including Camavinga, Nacho, and Alaba.
Rodrygo Goes was also previously expected to miss the match, but his surprise recovery now makes it more probable for him to make an appearance in this tie. He also had picked up an injury in the Champions League match against Liverpool, but has since returned to group training, and is feeling well enough to feature in the Copa Classico.
