Real Madrid's woes in La Liga were deepened by their 3-2 loss against Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League, and things could get even worse for Zidane due to a recent injury report.
According to Marca, the Spanish giants have already made their peace with themselves about some of the absences they will have for their trip to Barcelona. Eden Hazard, Dani Carvajal, Alvaro Odriozola, Martin Odegaard and Mariano have already been ruled out for that game, but the latest addition to that list could prove fatal for Zidane's options to win that game.
The man that could join the list of absences prior to the big game is Sergio Ramos, as he is yet to recover from the knock he picked up against Cádiz last week. Los Blancos' captain was rested for Wednesday's match against Shakhtar with the hope to see him back with the group as soon as that clash was over, but Ramos was seen today training away from the group with only two days left for the match, which could mean that the heart of Real Madrid's defense could be sidelined.
The report by Marca suggests that Ramos is willing to play the game even if that means he needs to get an injection to help with the pain. Even so, the final call will fall on Zidane, who might choose not to risk losing one of his best players for a long time.
The Spanish side has suffered to win games whenever Ramos has been out, especially in UEFA Champions League games. Even so, the captain's presence at Camp Nou could be crucial for Zidane, who's reputation and perhaps his job may be on the line in the event of a third straight loss.
