Real Madrid set for Espanyol defensive absence as Leandro Cabrera begins suspension

Espanyol will be without experienced defender Leandro Cabrera when they face Real Madrid on Saturday after the Uruguay international began serving a delayed three-match suspension.

Cabrera’s absence was confirmed by Espanyol following an incident at the end of their La Liga match against Getafe last season. According to the referee’s report, the defender struck a video assistant referee (VAR) screen after the final whistle, resulting in a three-match ban.

The suspension was carried over into the new campaign after Espanyol’s attempts to delay its implementation were unsuccessful. The club appealed until the final stages of the process, but the decision remained unchanged.

Cabrera consequently missed Espanyol’s most recent game against Levante, in which they recorded their first victory of the La Liga season. Unless there is an unexpected development, he will also be unavailable for the visit of Real Madrid.

His absence from the Levante match had initially caused confusion. Cabrera had been included in Espanyol’s morning squad list, only to be removed from the starting line-up a few minutes before kick-off. There had been no previous indication that he was carrying an injury.

Espanyol manager Manolo selected Riedel alongside Unai Nunez in central defence against Levante. The pair produced a solid display, helped by Levante’s failure to create any genuine danger in front of Espanyol goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.

The challenge against Real Madrid, however, will be considerably more demanding. Espanyol must now prepare to deal with a side whose attack is led by Kylian Mbappe, placing greater importance on the loss of one of their most experienced defenders.

Cabrera has been an important figure in Espanyol’s defence and has played in numerous matches against leading teams. His absence removes both his defensive experience and his familiarity with high-level La Liga contests at a time when Espanyol face arguably their toughest test of the season.

The match against Real Madrid is scheduled to take place on Saturday, with Espanyol expected to rely again on the defensive partnership that helped secure victory over Levante. While Riedel and Unai Nunez performed well in that fixture, Real Madrid’s attacking quality will provide a far more severe examination.

For Espanyol, Cabrera’s suspension is therefore a significant setback before one of the campaign’s highest-profile games. For Real Madrid, it offers an advantage ahead of their next La Liga fixture, with the hosts missing a senior defender who would otherwise have been expected to play a prominent role.