Although Real Madrid did not make any signings to strengthen their squad technically during the winter transfer window, the royal club took concrete action in January to address a crisis no less serious than the shortage of players: the worsening injury situation that has been weakening the team week after week.

With the increasing number of absences and the injury situation becoming a concerning issue within the halls of the "White House," the club's management decided to take a decisive step by reinstating the role of the renowned Croatian doctor Niko Mihic, who will oversee the medical work of the first team's doctors under the leadership of Felipe Segura.

According to COPE radio, Mihić's return is part of a plan aimed at improving all aspects related to the players' health.

Although Mehić has remained associated with Real Madrid during the past period, his responsibilities will now expand to become the medical supervisor for all departments of the club, including the first football team, whose medical staff he previously managed between 2017 and 2023.

This step comes amid alarming injury figures, as Real Madrid has suffered 95 injuries since last season—63 injuries in the previous season and 32 so far in the current one. This physical toll has forced the team on several occasions to play matches under difficult conditions, at times missing up to 12 players in a single game during the past season.

Last season witnessed critical periods, most notably 20 injuries between October and December, 7 injuries in February, and a new wave of 15 injuries between April and May. Overall, 22 players spent time in the treatment room at some point, with only Luka Modrić and Arda Güler remaining injury-free.

As for the current season, the situation does not seem much better, with the number of injuries reaching 32 by mid-season, compared to 23 for Barcelona and 21 for Atlético Madrid. Critical periods have also recurred, especially between October and December, when the team suffered 25 injuries and had to play 10 of the last 16 matches across various competitions with six or more players absent.

Concerns are growing as some key players continue to suffer repeated injuries. Statistics show that seven players participated in 50% or fewer of the matches during 2025: Éder Militão, David Alaba, Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, Eduardo Camavinga, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Ferland Mendy. This has placed a significant burden on the team in its pursuit of major goals.

In this way, Real Madrid hopes that the return of Niko Mihic will help reduce the team's struggles with injuries and restore the players' physical balance during the second half of the season.