Real Madrid look as if they will not be strengthening their defence in the winter transfer window, and it means they will be relying on Aurelien Tchouameni to fill in should Nacho Fernandez or Antonio Rudiger be absent at any point. It looks as if they will get Eder Militao back in order to help out, but perhaps not as quickly as some reports had suggested.
The Brazilian defender tore his anterior cruciate ligament less than 90 minutes into the new season, limping off in Real Madrid’s first game against Athletic Club. The 25-year-old was widely regarded as their best central defender last season, although Los Blancos have managed well in his absence, conceding just 11 goals in 18 games in La Liga.
It had been reported that Militao could be back in mid-February, marking exactly six months since he was injured. Yet Marca now say that within the club, they are expecting him back for the last week of March, following the spring international break.
Athletic Club visit the Santiago Bernabeu on that final weekend of March, and if that prognosis proves to be accurate, then he could return against the same team. It will be a tricky adaptation for Militao. Ideally he would have several weeks of consistent minutes to get back to his best, but being the crunch time of the season, there is a good chance that La Liga and the Champions League are in the balance.
