Real regain confidence, lose Carvajal to injury in Villarreal win

After two games without a win, the defending champions bounced back, but a stoppage time injury to defender Carvajal causes more worry

LaLiga - Real Madrid v Villarreal - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - Oct 5, 2024 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe in action with Villarreal's Kiko Femenia REUTERS/Susana Vera

Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal suffered what looked to be a serious knee injury in their LaLiga win against Villarreal, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Saturday, after the Spanish champions recovered their winning touch.

Real beat Villarreal 2-0 to bounce back after two games without a victory, having lost 1-0 at Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday and being held to a 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in their previous league game.

But the defending champions were dealt a blow in stoppage time when Carvajal's screams of pain were heard and the stadium went silent as the right-back needed to be carried away on a stretcher.

"It looks like a pretty serious knee injury, the dressing room is sad and worried," Ancelotti told a press conference.

"It's something that happens a lot of times because of the calendar and it's happened to a very important player for us."

Spain defender Carvajal, 32, got injured in a duel with Villarreal midfielder Yeremy Pino, when his right knee suffered an unnatural movement as the player stretched it upwards.

"He is a fundamental player for us because of his experience, seriousness," Ancelotti said.

"I've been talking to him and he's sad, but there's not much we can do. We are going to see the medical evaluation and think about him recovering. The doctor has told us that he has to do tests, but that it's a knee injury."

Six-time Champions League winner Carvajal, one of Real's key players, was sent to undergo medical tests right away with the injury possibly season-ending, Spanish media reported.

"We have Lucas Vazquez, but it's not the time to talk about this," Ancelotti added.

"We are going to wait and if the injury is serious we are going to manage the squad well and see who we put in this position. It will not be me."

Carvajal's injury is another blow to Real defence, who were without goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois against Villarreal after the Belgian keeper suffered an injury to the abductor of his left leg in the Atletico draw last weekend.