Brahim Diaz suffered a muscle injury this morning, casting doubt over his availability for tonight’s match. He was expected to start alongside Kylian Mbappe in the attack.

Real Madrid confirmed the injury in an official statement but did not specify whether he would recover in time. If absent, Diaz will join Real Madrid’s growing list of absentees, further limiting Ancelotti’s options against Mallorca. The club stated: “Brahim Diaz underwent medical tests today. The results confirmed an injury to the long adductor muscle in his left thigh. The severity is still being assessed.”

A Major Blow for Madrid

With Lunin also out and Diaz doubtful, Real Madrid’s available first-team players for this match have dwindled to a concerning number: only 10 players from the official squad are currently fit.

Of these 10, only one is a goalkeeper (Thibaut Courtois), leaving just nine outfield players: Fede Valverde, Fran Garcia, Jesus Vallejo, Luka Modric, Dani Ceballos, Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, and Andriy Lunin (if fit).

This situation poses a serious threat to Real Madrid’s lineup, as competition rules require at least seven first-team players (with squad numbers 1-25) to be on the field. Failure to meet this requirement could lead to disciplinary consequences.

What Does the Rule Say?

According to Article 246 of Spain’s Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) regulations, a minimum of seven first-team players must be available to start a match, provided the shortage is due to circumstances beyond the club’s control.

If a team fields fewer than seven eligible players, or if the number drops below seven during the match (due to injuries or red cards), the referee must abandon the game.

In such cases, the opposing team is awarded a 3-0 victory unless they were already leading by a greater margin, in which case the actual score stands. The final decision rests with the disciplinary committee.

Real Madrid’s Uncertain Future

If Diaz’s injury is worse than initially feared and he is ruled out, Ancelotti will face a major challenge in fielding a legal lineup—one that could have serious implications for Madrid’s season.