A very negative news has come for Real Madrid and the fans. Lucas Vasquez, who has been one of the crucial players in this season (even why kind of silently), has been diagnosed with a sprain to the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Real Madrid have confirmed that Lucas Vazquez suffered a cruciate ligament injury during the Clasico with Barcelona on Saturday. Vazquez went down after a heavy challenge with Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets and had to be replaced late in the first half as his side went on to beat their rivals 2-1.
It has not yet been determined how long the Spain international will be out of action, but he will miss the rest of the season after the diagnosis was confirmed.
A statement posted on the club's website read: "Following tests carried out today on Lucas Vazquez by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a sprain to the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. His recovery will continue to be assessed."
Vazquez said he is "gutted" by the news but pledged to support the capital club from the sidelines as they look to maintain their challenge for La Liga and the Champions League. He posted on Instagram: "I’m going to have to help the team from the sidelines for a while. Gutted, but never down. If there’s one thing this club has taught me it’s to always fight. From this moment I’m giving all I can to be back as soon as possible and help this team in the final stages. Thanks to everyone for your messages and support.
"One objective - keep fighting for La Liga and the UEFA Champions League!"
This injury came in the most important moment of the season - really a bad luck! Lucas Vasquez has been playing as a right back regularly since Dani Carvajal was injured. He may not be known as a superstar by the media or the fans but no one can deny his role at Real Madrid. A hardworking player, who can fit in many positions and cover anyone anytime in the right wing. This injury comes in a moment when there is only one right back player left (Odriozola) and this will be a major headache for Zidane not only because of the reduced number of players but also because Lucas has offered an important reliability, especially in the latest times. His experience and modesty have been very useful for the team. On the other hand it is also the compassion for one of our true Madridistas that always has tried to do the maximum for the team. It is such a pity to see him suffer this great injury which will make him lose the most important period of the year, a period that would have really been meaningful for his career... Everyone hopes he will get better soon and why not, even return earlier than expected!
However, this injury may also affect his future at Real Madrid. The Galician had never started so many games for Real Madrid, doing so in 31 of 41 this season, and he had only racked up more minutes in 2017/18, when he played 2,817 to this season's 2,780.
Lucas' contract at Valdebebas ends on June 30. With his renewal still in doubt, this setback has come at an unfortunate time for the player, having been one of Real Madrid's most important players this season. Talks around a renewal stalled a long time ago. The passing of time only made it clearer that Lucas' future was likely to lie away from Real Madrid, where he has been since a 16-year-old - aside from a year at Espanyol - after arriving in 2007. The player has had offers land at his door, and he's been free to talk to clubs since January 1. Lucas received a lot of offers last summer, but he backed himself to stay at Real Madrid. His subsequent performances made his renewal a real talking point. Bayern Munich have become the latest club to step forward as a contender for his services, with his performances even impressing the European and world champions this season.
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