What happened: Marca reports Real Madrid have suffered 120 injuries across the last two seasons, a tally underlined by Ferland Mendy's latest setback. The club confirmed Mendy sustained a tendon injury in his right leg, with reports indicating he will undergo surgery and miss roughly five months. The figure was relayed by Fabrizio Romano citing Marca.

Why it matters: The volume of absences has become a recurring storyline at the Bernabéu, raising questions about training load, squad depth and medical processes during a punishing fixture calendar. Mendy's loss compounds left-back depth issues and arrives as Madrid navigate a title race with Barcelona and late-stage European commitments. Persistent injuries have already shaped lineup decisions and tactical flexibility this season.

What to watch: Watch for Real Madrid's official medical update on Mendy's surgery timeline and any club response to the injury workload. Squad rotation in the run-in, particularly at left-back, will be the immediate tell.