Real Madrid suffer double injury blow as Theo Maledon and Mikael Jantunen face spells out

Real Madrid’s strong start to the season has been disrupted by injuries to Theo Maledon and Mikael Jantunen during their EuroLeague Basketball victory over Fenerbahce.

Real Madrid won the match by 19 points, but head coach Pedro Martinez is now set to lose two key players at a crucial stage of the campaign.

Initial examinations found that Maledon had suffered a sprain to his right knee, while Jantunen sustained a complete tear of the plantar fascia. Their expected absences will depend on the severity of the injuries and how each player responds to treatment.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Maledon could be sidelined for between two and six weeks. The full extent of the Frenchman’s injury is not yet clear. Jantunen’s condition appears more serious, with a recovery period of at least five weeks and the possibility of surgery.

Maledon was injured when he landed awkwardly while attempting to break through Fenerbahce’s defence following a challenge from Clyburn. Jantunen played for only seven minutes and 52 seconds before leaving the game, with Martinez indicating after the final whistle that the Finland international’s condition did not look good.

Maledon has emerged as one of Real Madrid’s most influential players since the beginning of the season. He produced an outstanding display against Fenerbahce, scoring 26 points and recording an efficiency rating of 35 to finish as the team’s leading performer.

Jantunen, who joined Real Madrid from Fenerbahce during the summer transfer window, had also made an impressive start. He has rotated in the power forward position with Jaime Pradilla and is averaging 10.5 points in the Spanish league, while shooting 63% from three-point range.

Real Madrid have won six of their first nine EuroLeague Basketball matches. In the Spanish league, they remain unbeaten since recovering from three consecutive defeats at the start of the season and have since put together a nine-match winning run.

Their latest victory over Fenerbahce underlined the team’s current form. Martinez’s side scored 95 points against one of Europe’s strongest defensive teams at Movistar Arena, where 9,826 spectators attended.

Real Madrid will face Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos on Sunday, 1 November 2026, at 12:30, in the Spanish league. The match will provide the first indication of how Martinez plans to cover the absences of Maledon and Jantunen as the club continues to manage a demanding domestic and European schedule.