Lucas Vazquez and Vinicius Junior will not play again this season—at least, with a 90% certainty. They will definitely miss the matches against Mallorca and Sevilla and have little chance of returning for the game against Real Sociedad.

In reality, the club believes these two players could be “pushed” to return for the final matchday in about 12-13 days. However, with the Club World Cup approaching and nothing left to compete for in La Liga, this scenario is practically ruled out. Both are now focused on the future and matches in the United States. Their injuries have left Real Madrid in an even worse situation than before.

Vinicius’ condition on the Montjuïc bench raised concerns: He suffered a grade 2 sprain with moderate severity. This injury is easily treatable but requires rest. He will be sidelined for two to three weeks.

Lucas Vazquez, the other injured player, is in a similar situation. He has suffered a left thigh muscle injury. While not serious, he will need a similar recovery time as Vinicius—about two weeks away from the pitch.

There is a similar feeling: He has been completely ruled out for the matches against Mallorca and Sevilla… and for the game against Real Sociedad, he would have to push himself hard. Like Vinicius, he is looking ahead to the matches in the United States.

This situation paints a picture of a team already in poor condition. Without Vinicius, the solution is simpler: Rodrygo and Mbappé will share the left wing in these three matches.

However, finding a replacement for right-back is more complicated: Either Federico Valverde, who has been under heavy pressure in the final weeks of La Liga, will have to fill in, or Marco Asensio. For the match against Mallorca, the problem is even bigger. Dani Carvajal is suspended, so using Asensio as a replacement is not an option.

This will be Carlo Ancelotti’s last puzzle at Real Madrid—a major challenge for his final three games. Looking ahead to May 25, he cannot count on players already injured: Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, and Eduardo Camavinga. Almost no one is available.