Real Madrid lose forward for three weeks, set to miss Champions League return leg with RB Leipzig

Real Madrid’s injury luck continues to be somewhat cursed, as they lost Joselu Mato two days ahead of their clash with Sevilla. The veteran forward, who has the best goals to minutes ratio of any Real Madrid player this season will be out for around three weeks with an ankle problem. Diario AS say that there is swelling around the bone – the club originally thought he had twisted his ankle last week at Vallecas.

Carlo Ancelotti has generally been using Joselu as an extremely effective rotation piece or an impact substitute, but he will not play against Sevilla at home, Valencia away next weekend, at home against Celta Vigo in La Liga. He could return against Osasuna at El Sadar before the international break, but most damaging of all, Ancelotti will be without the target man for the return leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie against RB Leipzig.

On the other hand, Ancelotti is expected to get Jude Bellingham and Antonio Rudiger back within the next week, which should augment their goal threat and reduce the amount they need to score.