Real Madrid defender Daniel Carvajal will serve a two-match suspension in the Champions League – meaning he could feature against Liverpool. UEFA have sanctioned Los Blancos skipper after he was shown a red card for violent conduct in their League Phase opener win over Marseille.
The Spanish right-back was dismissed following a VAR review after appearing to clash heads with Geronimo Rulli during their 2-1 victory over Roberto De Zerbi’s outfit. Following the governing body’s ruling, he will be absent for Tuesday’s clash with Kairat Almaty and the subsequent fixture against Juventus. Nevertheless, he remains eligible to face Liverpool on November 4, provided he is fit. UEFA regulations state that any player or team official dismissed by the referee faces an automatic one-match suspension in UEFA club competitions.
The governing body reserves the right to extend the punishment for severe offences, and in this instance, they enforced Article 15, paragraph 1, which addresses “assault on another player.” Consequently, they imposed a two-match prohibition.
The 33-year-old was sidelined for four weeks after being withdrawn at the weekend. Carvajal was substituted on the hour mark during Real’s 5-2 defeat to rivals Atletico Madrid, with Sunday’s confirmation revealing he had sustained a calf problem.
His absence compounds a growing concern in the right-back position for Xabi Alonso, as former Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is also unavailable with a thigh complaint.
In a statement regarding Carvajal’s injury, Real Madrid wrote: “Following tests carried out today on Dani Carvajal by Real Madrid’s medical department, the player has been diagnosed with an injury to the soleus muscle in his right leg. His progress will be monitored.”
Both players are battling against time to be ready for the crucial clash at Anfield, with the England defender desperate for a swift recovery, though his Anfield return remains uncertain. Madrid face the Kazakhstan outfit on Tuesday night as they aim to secure their second consecutive victory.
They will be desperate to maintain their perfect record before their November showdown with Arne Slot’s men on matchday four. Liverpool, meanwhile, are seeking to recover from their first defeat in their Premier League title campaign against Crystal Palace when they meet Galatasaray.
Oliver Glasner’s Eagles struck the decisive blow deep into added time to hand the Reds their first setback of the season. Despite their near-flawless beginning as reigning champions, their displays have attracted criticism.
“For me, defending is only a small margin,” Liverpool boss Slot remarked before the match in Istanbul. “One of our strengths last season was we kept teams away from our goal and that starts somewhere else, not defenders.
“We have conceded four goals from set-pieces, so we have changed full-backs but we have changed a bit more [in other positions]. The goals we conceded, I will look back in detail, but the first thing that comes to my mind is not that the new full-backs are the problem.
“We need 11 players to work incredibly hard to stop chances but you can work as hard as you want but setpieces are a different game inside the game.
“We hardly conceded from set-pieces last season, so we have to prove we have been unlucky with that, because that can happen but we definitely have to improve because I see teams who win Premier League games because of set-pieces. We lose them.”
