Real Madrid wait on Valverde fitness after Barcelona win

Real Madrid face a late decision over Federico Valverde’s availability for Sunday’s La Liga meeting with Racing Santander after the midfielder continued to feel the effects of the injury that forced him off against Barcelona.

The club are keen to build on their important victory at Camp Nou and extend their positive run, but Valverde’s condition has created uncertainty ahead of the first of three successive away matches before the international break.

The Uruguay international played much of the first half against Barcelona despite discomfort before leaving the field in the second half. According to Spanish newspaper Marca, he is still experiencing pain from the injury.

Valverde’s condition has improved gradually in recent hours, although he has not yet made a full recovery. That leaves his participation at Racing Santander in doubt, despite encouraging signs that he could still be fit to play.

The midfielder completed an individual training programme at the Valdebebas training centre as part of his rehabilitation. He is due to undergo a final assessment during training on the day before the match, when Real Madrid’s medical and coaching staff will determine whether he can feature at El Sardinero.

Manager Jose Mourinho is expected to take a cautious approach with a player who has become central to his plans. Real Madrid do not want to risk Valverde unless he has regained full fitness, particularly with a demanding schedule ahead.

The 27-year-old, who wears the captain’s armband for Real Madrid, has played 1,071 minutes in 13 matches in all competitions this season. In La Liga, he has started every one of the 10 matches played so far and has accumulated 801 minutes, making him one of the most consistently used players in Mourinho’s squad.

Guler and Courtois provide positive update

There was better news for Real Madrid in training, with Turkey international Arda Guler and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois both taking part normally.

Courtois recovered a few days ago from influenza, which ruled him out of the match against Barcelona. His return to full team training means he is now in contention to be included in the squad for the trip to Racing Santander.

Guler has also returned to full fitness after completing the session without problems, giving Mourinho another option before Sunday’s fixture.

The manager must also consider the sequence of matches beyond Racing Santander. Real Madrid will begin with Sunday’s La Liga game on 01 November 2026, then travel to the Greek capital Athens to face AEK on 4 November.

They will complete the three-match away run against Valencia at Mestalla on Saturday, 7 November. The demanding schedule means Real Madrid must manage their players’ workload carefully and avoid overusing key members of the squad before the international break.

The final assessment will determine whether Valverde can continue to lead the midfield through that congested period or whether Mourinho will rest him to prevent the injury from worsening.