Antonio Rudiger Injury Update: Latest Details, Recovery Timeline, and Impact on Team

Real Madrid will be travelling to Real Sociedad to play their fourth match of the season. They have faced a setback as La Liga 2025-26 resumes this week. Xabi Alonso released the squad list for this match, and one name that was missing was Antonio Rudiger, the German international who was a part of German National Team in the World Cup qualifiers that were held recently.

Antonio Rudiger Injury Details

Rudiger featured in both matches as Germany suffered a stunning defeat to Slovakia in World Cup qualifying, before getting their campaign back on track with an unconvincing win over Northern Ireland. As soon as the centre-back returned from international duty, he suffered an injury in training this week.

A statement from Real Madrid read: “Following tests conducted on Rudiger by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the rectus femoris muscle in his left leg. Awaiting further development.” Rectus femoris is the central part of the quadriceps group in front of the thigh, known as the “kicking muscle” because it extends the knee and also helps to flex the hip, a muscle which is very important for all footballers.

How Antonio Rudiger's Injury Affects Real Madrid

The former Chelsea defender will miss the Madrid derby and the first Clásico of the season in Barcelona, among other league fixtures. Apart from this, he will also be unavailable for five Champions League games, including meetings with Juventus and Liverpool. This will be a major blow for Real Madrid, considering it is one of the most important players on the team. Now, Militao and Huijsen will be their two undisputed starters in that position, with the Brazilian center-back just coming back after a very serious ACL injury. David Alaba and Raul Asencio are options as well, but both players have struggled to produce when called upon in their most recent appearances. Dani Carvajal, along with Tchouameni, are emergency options as well, should Los Blancos be in desperate need of rotation in the following weeks.

When Will Antonio Rudiger Return? Recovery Timeline

While the statement from the club does not mention a recovery period, journalist Arancha Rodriguez has revealed that Rudiger will be out for three months. Rudiger's body appears to have entered its decline, and he's set to become a free agent next summer. Rumors also indicate that Real Madrid will not offer him an extension. He also missed the final stretch of last season with a knee injury and is now back in the infirmary less than three months after he made his return at the FIFA Club World Cup. The German now joins Bellingham, Endrick, Camavinga, and Mendy on the sidelines.