El Clasico Shock: Real Madrid Star Dani Carvajal Heads to Knee Surgery, Out Until 2026
28 October 2025
Injury and Surgery Details
Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid’s right-back, underwent knee surgery after doctors detected a loose body in his right knee, a complication echoing last year’s injury saga.
The procedure was arthroscopic and performed under the club’s medical team, with rehabilitation starting immediately. Madrid estimate a recovery of 6 to 10 weeks, making a return before 2026 unlikely.
Spanish newspaper AS reported that Carvajal left the operating room and began rehabilitation right away.
Impact on Real Madrid’s Schedule and Next Steps
The surgery was confirmed as successful, and he will undergo a careful rehabilitation under the medical staff. Madrid expect him to miss nine upcoming matches against Valencia, Liverpool, Rayo Vallecano, Georgia, Turkey, Elche, Olympiakos, Girona, and Celta Vigo.
Six weeks into his absence, the length of the layoff could extend into early 2026. The club hopes for a return around the time of the Spanish Super Cup window.
During this period Real Madrid will rely on Trent Alexander-Arnold and Federico Valverde to fill the right-back role for the remainder of the year.
AS notes that Carvajal begins a new rehabilitation journey today, aiming to regain full fitness after a successful knee arthroscopy.
Clasico tensions and more
A young Barcelona star, LamineYamal, reportedly cut ties with Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal after a post-match clash. Yamal unfollowed Carvajal on social media, signaling a cooling of ties.
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu in La Liga matchday 10, with tensions spilling onto the benches in the final moments. After the final whistle, a heated exchange between Thibaut Courtois and Lamine Yamal intensified the moment, as teammates and staff tried to restore order.
In the hours that followed, a few players, including Antonio Rüdiger and Rafinha, were seen near the incident despite not being on the match squad.
These scenes underscored the high stakes and emotion of a Clasico that lived up to its reputation for intensity.
Punchline 1: Even a world-class knee can’t dodge a Clasico calendar—Madrid’s season just turned into a binge-worthy cliffhanger.
Punchline 2: If patience were a defender, Madrid would have kept a clean sheet by January 2026.
