Madrid, Dec 8 (NationPress) - Real Madrid's central defender Eder Militao may face an extended period away from the pitch after the Brazilian exited Sunday’s home loss to Celta Vigo with an apparent injury. Militao collapsed while pursuing Celta forward Pablo Duran, clutching his left hamstring, and required assistance to leave the field in visible distress, leading to his substitution for Antonio Rudiger.

While the club has not yet released an official medical statement, it appears unlikely that Militao will return to play in 2025, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming Spanish Supercup scheduled in Saudi Arabia in early January, according to reports from Xinhua.

Militao has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons, undergoing two knee surgeries and suffering a muscle issue that kept him sidelined for about two weeks last November.

This injury arrives at a particularly challenging moment for under-fire coach Xabi Alonso, as his team prepares to face Manchester City in a crucial Champions League match on Wednesday.

In addition to Militao, Alonso will also have to cope without David Alaba, Dean Huijsen, Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is also expected to miss the rest of 2025.

This leaves only Antonio Rudiger and Raul Asencio as the club's fit central defenders, compounded by the suspensions of left-backs Alvaro Carreras and Fran Garcia, who were both sent off after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession during Sunday’s match.

It was a difficult weekend for Real Madrid. After showcasing a strong performance with a 3-0 victory over Athletic Club last Wednesday, the team faced an unexpected setback with a 2-0 defeat at home against Celta Vigo, which exposed the vulnerabilities in Alonso's squad.

Celta proved to be the superior team, with Borja Iglesias and Bryan Zaragoza creating significant challenges for a defense already weakened by Militao’s injury.

Real Madrid's lack of discipline was evident as Fran Garcia and Alvaro Carreras were both shown red cards, along with Endrick, who was sent off for dissent from the bench.

It seems like a classic case of one step forward and two steps back for both Real Madrid and Alonso, especially with Manchester City visiting the Bernabeu on Wednesday, presenting a daunting challenge against Pep Guardiola’s side.