Real Madrid have been handed a major blow ahead of their UEFA Champions League clash against Liverpool.
Club captain and defender Sergio Ramos has been ruled out for both legs after sustaining a calf muscle injury on international duty with Spain.
Ramos is undoubtedly the best defender at the club and his absence will be a huge problem for Zinedine Zidane and his defensive unit.
It will be interesting to see how Real Madrid copes without Ramos against the Liverpool attack. Nacho is now likely to partner Varane at the back.
When the draw was made, fans would have expected to see a battle between Sergio Ramos and Mohamed Salah given their altercation in the Champions League final in 2018.
The Spanish international ended up injuring the Egyptian at the start of the game and it was the defining moment of the game for the Reds.
The first leg of the quarter-final is set to be played on the 6th of April and the return leg will be held on the 14th. Meanwhile, Sergio Ramos will miss the El Clasico against Barcelona on the 10th of April as well.
The defender sent out a message to his fans on social media after the injury revelation and he wrote: “The truth is that I’ve had a tough few weeks. Surgery is always a sporting and emotional break. Luckily, for a few days now I’ve been feeling better, but in football as in life, bad luck has a part to play too.
“Yesterday, after the match, I stayed on to train on the pitch and I felt a shooting pain in my left calf. I’ve undergone tests today, and it’s been confirmed that I have a muscular injury.
“If there’s anything that hurts me, it’s not being able to help the team in these demanding games in which the season is at stake… All I can do is speak frankly, work hard and support the team.”
