Vinícius Junior Sidelined with Gastroenteritis, Set to Miss Real Madrid Derby
Sep 24, 2023, 10:39 ET | Lreading: 2 min.
Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward, Vinícius Junior, has been ruled out of the upcoming derby against Atletico Madrid due to gastroenteritis. The 21-year-old was set to make his comeback after recovering from a muscle injury but will now have to wait until Wednesday, September 27, to feature against UD Las Palmas.
Vinícius was a surprise inclusion in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the Madrid derby, having been sidelined for a month due to his previous injury. However, a last-minute setback in the form of gastroenteritis has derailed his return plans.
Real Madrid issued a statement confirming Vinícius’ illness, stating that he was unable to join the team’s pre-match preparations before the game. This setback adds to the growing list of matches the talented forward has missed this season.
Having recently recovered from a muscle tear suffered in late August, Vinícius returned to training with the squad this week. Although Ancelotti initially included him in the derby squad, it was clear that the Brazilian lacked the required fitness to start the game.
Unfortunately, Vinícius’ absence against Atletico Madrid will mark his fourth missed game out of Real Madrid’s seven fixtures this season. He previously sat out the victories against Getafe and Real Sociedad in LaLiga EA Sports and the Champions League debut against Union Berlin.
Ancelotti’s current plan is to ensure Vinícius’ positive recovery and enable him to train without any issues by Monday. The Italian manager aims to have the forward fully fit for the seventh league matchday, which will take place at the Santiago Bernabéu against UD Las Palmas on Wednesday evening.
Vinícius Junior’s absence will be a blow to Real Madrid’s attacking options, but the club will hope for a speedy recovery to have him back on the pitch soon.