Real Madrid’s Raul Asencio to miss months after shin surgery

Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio is expected to be out for several months after the club confirmed he will have surgery on a stress fracture in his right shin.

The 23-year-old is scheduled to undergo the operation on Thursday. Reports in Spain indicate Asencio could be sidelined for between two and four months, depending on how his recovery develops.

Asencio has been dealing with the injury since the beginning of the season and was not included in Real Madrid’s matchday squad for any of their first five fixtures.

His absence will reduce the defensive options available to manager Jose Mourinho, who is already managing a number of concerns in central defence.

Asencio played 34 times for Real Madrid last season, but his involvement dropped during the final three months of the campaign. The defender had established himself as an option within the squad before seeing his role reduced towards the end of the season.

Real Madrid strengthened their defensive group during the current campaign by adding Ibrahima Konate. Dean Huijsen has also featured regularly alongside him, while Antonio Rudiger provides another experienced choice in the centre of defence.

Eder Militao remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from hamstring surgery. He has been sidelined since April, adding to the problems facing Real Madrid in that position.

The club’s next La Liga match is at home against Villarreal on Saturday, October 10. The fixture will be played at the Santiago Bernabeu, although Asencio is not expected to be involved as he begins the recovery process following his operation.

The predicted absence of between two and four months would keep him out for a significant part of the season, should his rehabilitation follow the timeframe reported in Spain. Real Madrid have not stated an exact recovery date beyond confirming the planned surgery.