Injured late in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Sociedad on Wednesday night, Dani Ceballos is set to miss several matches. Diagnosed with a semi-membranosus muscle injury affecting the tendon in his left leg, the 28-year-old will be a big loss for Los Blancos.
Another injury blow for Real Madrid. Following the recent setbacks of Lucas Vázquez and Antonio Rüdiger, Dani Ceballos now finds himself back in the treatment room. Having become a key player for the team since November, the 28-year-old Spanish midfielder picked up the injury in a challenge with Kubo, Real Sociedad’s right winger, during the first-leg clash of the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Wednesday. As Carlo Ancelotti had announced, medical tests were scheduled to determine the severity of the former Arsenal midfielder’s injury. These tests were carried out on Thursday morning.
The matches Ceballos will miss
As predicted by Relevo, Dani Ceballos is expected to be sidelined for around two months. Although he did not suffer a knee injury as initially feared by some sources, the Madrid playmaker has sustained a semi-membranosus muscle injury affecting the tendon in his left leg. Real Madrid officially confirmed the news on Thursday afternoon. As usual, the club’s medical staff did not disclose the exact duration of his absence.
However, according to reports from Marca and several other Spanish media outlets, Ceballos will not be returning anytime soon. Medical sources close to the club indicate that La Liga’s most technically proficient midfielder in recent weeks will miss the next eight league matches, including fixtures against Real Betis, Rayo Vallecano, Villarreal, Leganés, Valencia, Alavés, Athletic Bilbao, and Getafe on 23 April. In addition to these absences, he will miss both Champions League ties against Atlético Madrid, and if Real Madrid progress to the quarter-finals, he is unlikely to feature in those games either.
As a result, it is now confirmed that Dani Ceballos will miss the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Sociedad. His primary goal will be to recover in time for the final, should Los Blancos qualify. This is a huge setback for Carlo Ancelotti and the entire squad. Since rediscovering his best form, Ceballos has successfully helped fill the void left by Toni Kroos’s retirement.
“Very sad not to be able to help my team at such a crucial stage of the season. And even more disappointed to be forced to stop at what I felt was my best moment… But football is like that—it’s not always easy, nor is it always fair. I must face this with strength, determination, and the belief that I will come back even stronger. This is not the end. I’ve been through worse. Thank you all for your incredible support… See you soon, sooner than you think,” wrote the player on X after receiving the results of his medical tests on Thursday.
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