Federico Valverde sidelined for weeks after tackle in Rayo Vallecano match, misses international break

Federico Valverde’s right thigh gave out before the final whistle against Rayo Vallecano, and now Real Madrid will have to figure out life without one of their most indispensable midfielders for the better part of a month. The Uruguayan was substituted late in the La Liga fixture on November 27 after sustaining what has since been diagnosed as a semimembranosus muscle injury. For those unfamiliar with the anatomy of a hamstring, the semimembranosus is one of the three muscles running along the back of the thigh. When it tears or strains, you’re looking at the kind of injury that doesn’t care about your schedule. The diagnosis and what it means for Real Madrid Medical assessments following the match confirmed the muscle injury, with Real Madrid’s medical staff estimating approximately 15 days on the sideline. That timeline effectively wipes out the November international break and likely a match or two on either side of it. Uruguay have already moved on without their captain. Valverde was not selected for the national team’s fixtures during the window, a notable absence for a player who wears the armband for La Celeste. Prior to the injury, Valverde had been one of the most consiste...