While the FIFA international break is underway, Real Madrid, and particularly Carlo Ancelotti, has received some bad news. Just days before their clash against Arsenal in the Champions League, a gem, considered a good luck charm for the Madrid team in European competitions, has been injured while on international duty.
Injuries are a topic we can never stop discussing. With the packed schedule, footballers no longer have full control over their bodies. At Real Madrid, players like Dani Ceballos, Éder Militão, Dani Carvajal, and Ferland Mendy missed a possible call-up for international duty during the first FIFA international break of 2025 due to injuries. Ahead of the clash with Arsenal in the Champions League (the first leg on April 8 at the Emirates), Carlo Ancelotti is crossing his fingers for the safe return of his stars from international duty.
Jérémy de León, the good luck charm missing the Arsenal match
While everything is going well so far with the key names in the squad, the Madrid coach receives some bad news regarding his Champions League good luck charm: Jérémy de León. The first Puerto Rican player to join Real Madrid, the 21-year-old right winger will miss the first leg against Arsenal in the Champions League due to a shoulder injury sustained with his national team. Highly appreciated by Carlo Ancelotti, who always calls him up for Champions League matches, the young attacker is once again heading to the treatment room.
Already absent from major fixtures this season due to physical issues, De León will likely miss the April 8 match. “We are in communication with the doctors at Real Madrid to see if we can manage him here with our specialists, or if they prefer to handle it themselves and send him back,” revealed Dr. Leonardo Pirillo, the Puerto Rican national team doctor, after De León’s shoulder injury. He remains one of the brightest young talents at Madrid, which explains his repeated call-ups to the first team.
Bad news for Ancelotti
Regularly called up to the first team by Carlo Ancelotti over the past seasons, De León is waiting for his moment of glory, much like Raúl Asencio. If Ancelotti calls him up to the first team, it’s not only because of the luck he brought last season but also because he shows excellent performances in training and possesses great technical ability. At 21, he is one of the most promising young players in the Madrid academy, but the club is taking its time with him.
If he is called the talisman of Real Madrid, it is mainly due to Carlo Ancelotti’s beliefs. Last season, the young player travelled with the first team for Champions League matches. According to reports, the Italian coach considers him to be the good luck charm of the squad. With his particular physique, Jérémy de León is highly valued by the 65-year-old coach, who believes his presence in the group brings extra luck.
Now, another young player will have to step up for the trip to the Emirates on April 8. For this crucial quarter-final fixture in the Champions League, Real Madrid cannot afford any mistakes against an Arsenal team that is the favourite in the predictions.
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