Uruguay window in doubt as Fede Valverde awaits ankle tests
Real Madrid issued an official medical update on Fede Valverde on September 20, confirming severe trauma to the midfielder’s left ankle following the derby defeat to Atletico Madrid. The Uruguayan finished the match despite the knock, meaning the immediate picture is one of uncertainty rather than a confirmed spell on the sidelines.
Valverde picked up the injury during the 2-1 loss at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, a result that continued a difficult run for Los Blancos following their win over Inter Milan. According to the primary club report, the damage stemmed from a strong tackle by Atletico’s Kang-in Lee that went unpunished by referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias. Despite the challenge, Valverde stayed on the pitch and played out the remainder of the derby.
Real Madrid’s Medical Update
In a statement carried on the club’s official website, Real Madrid said tests carried out by its medical services on the day of the match diagnosed Valverde with severe trauma to his left ankle, sustained during the derby. The club added that the midfielder would undergo further tests in the coming hours to establish the full extent of the problem.
No timetable for a return has been given, and Real Madrid have not specified whether the injury amounts to a sprain, a more serious ligament issue, or simple bruising that will clear quickly. That distinction is expected to become clearer once the additional examinations are completed, though the club has offered nothing further beyond the initial diagnosis at this stage.
What It Means for Uruguay
The most concrete implication in Real Madrid’s own reporting concerns Valverde’s international commitments rather than his club fixtures. Should the follow-up tests confirm an ankle sprain, he could miss Uruguay’s upcoming FIFA international window entirely, a scenario the club has flagged as a possibility rather than a certainty.
For now, that remains conditional on the results still to come. Real Madrid’s squad has already had to navigate absences of various kinds in recent weeks, a theme covered in Football España’s look at the club’s selection options around the Inter fixture, and Jose Mourinho may again find himself managing without a key midfield presence depending on what the coming hours reveal about Valverde’s ankle.
