Real Madrid lose key defender ahead of Barcelona and Chelsea ties

Real Madrid looked as if they might head into the final stage of the season with a clean bill of health, but they have now lost a key defensive piece. Shortly after returning to the side before the international break, Ferland Mendy has once again broken down.

The French defender picked up a calf injury in training as was confirmed by Real Madrid. They did not give a time of recovery for Mendy, but MD believe he will be out of action for a further month. It sees Carlo Ancelotti without his left-back against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey and Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Mendy will miss those ties, as well as fixtures against Real Valladolid, Villarreal, Cadiz, Celta Vigo, Girona and Almeria. The 27-year-old has missed 8 of their last 9 La Liga games through injury, and it looks as if he will be absent for most of the second half of the seaosn.

Nacho Fernandez, Eduardo Camavinga and David Alaba are all options to play on the left side of the defence. Nacho and Camavinga have shared duties of late, but Alaba himself has only just returned.