Real Madrid received a major blow ahead of the anticipated clash against Manchester City in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, following the official announcement of an injury to the young team defender Álvaro Carreras.

The Royal Club issued a medical statement on its official website revealing the nature of the injury the player sustained, explaining that this situation puts the coaching staff in a defensive predicament ahead of the anticipated summit on Wednesday.

The statement mentioned that the duration of the player's absence was not precisely determined, merely stating: "awaiting developments," which is the club's usual protocol in dealing with muscular injuries.

The statement clarified: "After the medical examinations conducted today on our player Álvaro Carreras by the Real Madrid medical team, he has been diagnosed with a muscle tear in the calf of his right leg, and we are awaiting the development of his condition."

Based on this diagnosis, Carreras' absence from the team list for the match against Manchester City on Wednesday in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 has been confirmed, representing a significant loss for defensive rotation options.

This injury comes at a critical time, forcing Real Madrid's coaching staff to look for alternatives to compensate for the sudden defensive shortage against Manchester City, known for their attacking style and high tempo in matches, which increases the difficulty of the task for Los Merengues in this anticipated encounter.