Vinícius Júnior Suffers Ankle Sprain as Real Madrid Confirm Injury Blow After El Clásico Defeat

Real Madrid has officially confirmed that forward Vinícius Júnior sustained a sprain in his left ankle during the team's 4-3 defeat to Barcelona in El Clásico on Sunday.

The injury occurred late in the match, and Vinícius was substituted in the 88th minute after attempting to continue playing despite the discomfort. Medical assessments conducted on Monday diagnosed the sprain, and his recovery will be monitored.

Reports suggest that Vinícius is expected to be sidelined for approximately two weeks, which could rule him out for the remainder of the La Liga season. Real Madrid has three league matches remaining: against Mallorca on Wednesday, Sevilla on Sunday, and Real Sociedad on May 25. Given the current standings, with Barcelona leading by seven points and only three games left, Madrid's chances of clinching the title are slim.

In addition to Vinícius, right-back Lucas Vázquez also suffered an injury during the same match. He has been diagnosed with an injury to the pectineus muscle in his left thigh and is expected to be out for about 7–10 days, potentially missing the next two fixtures.

These injuries add to Real Madrid's growing list of sidelined players, which includes key defenders such as Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger, and Ferland Mendy, as well as midfielder Eduardo Camavinga. With the FIFA Club World Cup approaching in June, the club will be hoping for a swift recovery for its injured players to ensure a competitive squad for the tournament.