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Madrid, April 11 (IANS) Real Madrid have paid a price for their 2-1 win over FC Barcelona with the news that winger Lucas Vazquez will probably miss the rest of the season with a knee injury he picked up in the game.
Vazquez, who has spent most of the season playing as a makeshift right-back, had set up Karim Benzema to score Real Madrid's first goal of the game when he had to be replaced by Alvaro Ordiozola after a collision with Sergio Busquets before the break in Saturday's El Clasico.
Tests carried out on Sunday confirmed a twisted cruciate ligament on his right knee - an injury that usually requires around six weeks' recovery time, meaning he is unlikely to be available before the end of the campaign.
Vazquez's injury comes at a bad time for Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, who after Saturday's win admitted his players were tired after an intense season. Odriozola is just back after several months out, while Dani Carvajal is still injured.
Sergio Ramos is also sidelined with a third injury and Raphael Varane is still out after testing positive for COVID-19 last Tuesday.
The injury is also bad news for Vazquez on a personal level, as it all but ends his hopes of playing for Spain in this summer's European Championships, and it could also mean he has played his last game for Real Madrid as his current contract expires at the end of June, and he has yet to sign a new deal.
There was better news regarding Federico Valverde, who also limped out of the game. Tests showed the Uruguayan has only suffered bruised foot, although he is a doubt for Wednesday's visit to Liverpool in the Champions League.
--IANS
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