Liverpool take on Real Madrid in the Champions League at the beginning of November and they may be able to select Dani Carvajal despite being shown a straight red card
Real Madrid defender Daniel Carvajal will serve a two-match suspension in the Champions League - meaning he could feature against Liverpool. UEFA have sanctioned Los Blancos skipper after he was shown a red card for violent conduct in their League Phase opener win over Marseille.
The Spanish right-back was sent off after a review from VAR after appearing to headbutt Geronimo Rulli in their 2-1 win over Roberto De Zerbi's side. As a result of the decision by the governing body, he will miss Tuesday's encounter against Kairat Almaty and the next fixture against Juventus.
However, he will be in line to feature against Liverpool on November 4, should he be fit to be play. UEFA rules dictate that a player or team official sent off by the referee is automatically suspended for one match in UEFA club competitions.
Author avatar
Author avatar
The governing body can increase the ban should the offence be serious and in this case, they applied Article 15, paragraph 1, which refers to "assault on another player." As a result, they imposed a two-match ban.
The 33-year-old was ruled out for four weeks after being forced off at the weekend. Carvajal was replaced on the hour mark of Real's 5-2 defeat to rivals Atletico Madrid and it was confirmed on Sunday that he had suffered a calf injury.
His issue adds to a mounting problem in the right-back for Xabi Alonso as former Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is also out with a thigh injury.
In a statement regarding Caravajal's injury, Real Madrid wrote: "Following tests carried out today on Dani Carvajal by Real Madrid's medical department, the player has been diagnosed with an injury to the soleus muscle in his right leg.
"His progress will be monitored."
Both players are facing a race to be fit for the showdown at Anfield and the England full-back will be eyeing a prompt return but whether he makes his Anfield comeback currently remains to be seen.
Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold
Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is in a race to be fit to face Liverpool
View Image
Madrid take on the Kazakhstan side on Tuesday evening as they look to make it two wins from two. They will be hoping to have maximum points by the time they lockhorns with Arne Slot's side again at the beginning of November on matchday four.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back from their first defeat in their Premier League title defence to Crystal Palace against Galatasaray. Oliver Glasner's side scored the winner deep into stoppage time to inflict a first disappointment of the campaign for the Reds.
Although they had made a nearly perfect start as defending champions, their performances have come under scrutiny.
"For me, defending is only a small margin," the Liverpool head coach Slot said ahead of the showdown in Turkey. "One of our strengths last season was we kept teams away from our goal and that starts somewhere else, not defenders.
"We have conceded four goals from set-pieces, so we have changed full-backs but we have changed a bit more [in other positions]. The goals we conceded, I will look back in detail, but the first thing that comes to my mind is not that the new full-backs are the problem.
"We need 11 players to work incredibly hard to stop chances but you can work as hard as you want but setpieces are a different game inside the game.
"We hardly conceded from set-pieces last season, so we have to prove we have been unlucky with that, because that can happen but we definitely have to improve because I see teams who win Premier League games because of set-pieces. We lose them."
Content Image
Content Image