Cucurella's Injury Concern Ahead of Champions League Clash
Madrid’s first stumble of the season came with an unwelcome twist.
Defeat to Real Betis not only ended their unbeaten start, it also left Jose Mourinho sweating over the fitness of his first-choice left-back, Cucurella, just days before the Champions League kicks off.
Cucurella scare as cramps cut night short
Cucurella, who has recently nailed down the starting role ahead of Alvaro Carreras, was forced off in the closing stages of the loss after signalling discomfort. The sight of him heading to the bench, so close to Madrid’s European opener, sent a ripple of concern through the technical area.
Mourinho moved quickly to calm the noise. Speaking after the match, he stressed there was no dramatic injury behind the change.
“Carreras coming on for Cucurella due to cramps,” he told reporters, framing the switch as a precaution prompted by fatigue rather than a serious problem.
Even so, the timing is awkward. As reported by Mundo Deportivo, the Spanish World Cup winner faces a tight turnaround to be ready for midweek action. Cramps may be minor, but with a packed calendar and a high-intensity opener on the horizon, every training session now matters.
Mourinho’s options shrinking fast
Cucurella’s issue arrives at the worst possible moment for a squad already stretched thin.
Madrid are juggling a growing list of absentees. Aurelien Tchouameni, Eder Militao, Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy and Endrick are all in the treatment room. The staff still hold out hope that Tchouameni or Rodrygo could make it back in time to feature, but neither case is straightforward.
The problems do not stop with injuries. Arda Guler, Bernardo Silva and Eduardo Camavinga are all suspended, stripping Mourinho of three more key options and forcing him to improvise across several lines.
The combined effect is brutal: holes in defence, gaps in midfield, and fewer weapons in attack, right as the season’s first major European test arrives.
High stakes before Inter clash
Madrid will be back on the training pitch on Sunday, with the Champions League looming large. Inter Milan arrive on Tuesday, and what might have been a statement opener has turned into a high-pressure examination of depth and resilience.
After their first domestic defeat, the margin for error has narrowed. A strong result against seasoned European opposition now carries extra weight, both for confidence and for control of the group.
Mourinho will use the next sessions to judge Cucurella’s response. If the left-back recovers well, he starts. If there is any doubt, Carreras is poised to step in for a night that already feels pivotal.
In early September, this is not yet a season-defining crisis. But with Inter on the horizon and the squad stretched to its limits, Madrid are about to find out how quickly a setback can turn into a storyline.
