Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has not yet been ruled out of playing in this weekend’s Clasico against Barcelona, despite suffering a gruesome head injury in the Champions League draw against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday night.
Rudiger was involved in a sickening clash of heads with Shakhtar goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin that left him bleeding. He was heavily bandaged and was unable to see out of his right eye because of how much the wound swelled after being stitched up.
Marca has reported that, as of Thursday, the German international still cannot fully open his right eye. The Clasico at the Bernabeu is on Sunday and Rudiger has a chance of being available as long as he can fully open his eye by then and has no related problems with his vision.
If his eye is deemed healthy enough to take to the pitch, it is expected he would do so in a protective mask – it is said several designs will be presented to him to determine which best suits his needs.
Unsurprisingly, Rudiger is described as being keen to ‘play at all costs’.
This is Rudiger’s first season as a Real Madrid player and this would be his first Clasico.
Barcelona have struggled in the Champions League so far this season but are currently top of La Liga after dropping just two points from their eight games. The Catalans have the same number of points as Real, but a superior goal difference in the tiebreaker criteria.
Sunday’s match could see one or the other open up a three-point lead in an early title statement.
