REAL MADRID CAPTAIN Iker Casillas will miss up to six weeks after breaking his thumb in the 1-1 draw with Valencia on Wednesday.
The keeper was forced to leave the pitch after 17 minutes of play at Mestalla, and the club have now announced that he has sustained the injury, meaning he will miss the Champions League tie with Manchester United next month.
“After carrying out initial X-rays at the La Moraleja Sanitas Hospital, it has been confirmed that the footballer Iker Casillas has suffered a fracture at the base of the first metacarpal on his left hand,” a statement on the Madrid website reads.
“It will be assessed again by a specialist later today to decide what treatment will be followed.”
The injury will keep Casillas out of action for an estimated six weeks, meaning he will certainly miss the clash with Untied in the Spanish capital.
Additionally, the 31-year-old is doubtful for the return against United, while he could also be forced out of the Clasico versus Barcelona on March 2.
Meanwhile, Manchester United have loaned Italian striker Federico Macheda to VfB Stuttgart until the end of the season, the Bundesliga club announced on Thursday.
Stuttgart coach Bruno Labbadia had wanted to add a striker to his squad this month, and Macheda arrives three days before his team entertain bitter rivals, and Bundesliga leaders, Bayern Munich.
Macheda, 21, has made just 22 Premier League appearances for United, scoring four goals, as well as four appearances in the Champions League.
Additional reporting by AFP
