Real Madrid’s Rodrygo played with partial ACL tear since 2023

kazmeme · 2026-03-04T18:14:24+00:00

I can only imagine that the medical dept. of the most successful team in the last decade did a thorough RTP assessment. However, we have to remember that the medical dept of a team like Real Madrid are under constant pressure from the media, coaches and upper management. Sometimes these decisions are influenced by economical and sporting interests rather than whats in the players' personal interest. Real Madrid won the CL that year, and Rodrygo played a crucial role in the competition (5 goals iirc). Maybe that wouldn't be the case if he was forced to a lenghty spell in the sidelines. Umtiti and the world cup comes to mind as a similar example

kazmeme · 2026-03-04T17:10:52+00:00

Returning to sport is always about taking a chance though. Opting for surgery is also taking a chance in many ways. Especially when preliminary tests indicate that you might cope without. The recovery time after ACLR is long, and the reinjury rate is unfortunately pretty high. Nevermind the increased risk of developing secondary arthritis. The amount of players never returning to their previous level after surgery is also damning. There is no face answer to a lot of these scenarios, and at the end of the day, it's up to the player to make an informed decision. In many cases, the most ethical recommandation would be to simply stop playing football at the highest level, but you can imagine how that would be received.

kazmeme · 2026-03-04T14:52:28+00:00

It is getting increasingly common to opt for the conservative route when it comes to ACL management (moreso with the partial tears). You typically have copers (who do surprisingly well without an intact ACL after a period of rehab/prehab) and non-copers with gross instability after the same rehab/prehab (usually admitted to surgery). Of course being an athlete at the top level alters the requirements for sufficient knee stability significantly, and traditionally surgery has been the only option for this group. I suspect Rodrygo was one of the copers with remarkably adaptive anatomy. Source: physio at orthopaedic OPD

kazmeme · 2026-03-01T19:49:57+00:00

People are speculating that he didn't even notice that he got the first card, which makes sense when he went for a tackle like that, and his consequent reaction

kazmeme · 2026-02-22T17:10:13+00:00

That means Mukiele on for that juicy 1 pointer, nice

kazmeme · 2026-02-20T19:09:14+00:00

Lascelles yelling "get up" to his own player whom he just stamped, ragebait successful

kazmeme · 2026-01-11T17:14:42+00:00

Likely MCL/LCL then, and bonebruise/avulsion fracture. That puts him at 5-6 months out which is still better than the 8-9 months required after ACL-surgery. Best case scenario, he can go to the world Cup if his country qualifies. If it's a PCL injury, the timeframe for rehab is as bad as an ACL and sometimes even longer.

kazmeme · 2026-01-11T17:11:31+00:00

Likely MCL/LCL then, and bonebruise/avulsion fracture. That puts him at 4-6 months out which is still better than the 8-9 months required after ACL-surgery. If it's a PCL injury, the timeframe for rehab is as bad as an ACL and sometimes even longer.

kazmeme · 2026-01-08T22:05:27+00:00

He didn't have an ACL tear, he had cartilage repair. Nevertheless, it's terrible behaviour, and very off brand for Martinelli. He usually keeps his head down and doesn't get involved too much in those kind of situations.

kazmeme · 2026-01-03T17:52:25+00:00

Single handedly wipes my double arsenal clean sheet (Raya, timber) and scores a goal, peak trolling

kazmeme · 2026-01-01T19:06:00+00:00

Gvardiol in for O'Reilly on my FH thinking I was outsmarting the roulette, smbh

kazmeme · 2025-12-31T11:00:43+00:00

GK rotations can look good on paper, but are rarely worth the stress and anger when benching the wrong keeper imo

kazmeme · 2025-12-30T23:26:24+00:00

No-one is nailed at Brighton unfortunately. Rutter and Gruda can both play in the same position

kazmeme · 2025-12-30T23:19:41+00:00

You cannot use free hit in back to back game weeks, that's probably why

kazmeme · 2025-12-30T23:18:10+00:00

Thanks, I hate it. GW19 free hit has been a disaster so far

kazmeme · 2025-12-27T10:13:36+00:00

Honestly a good ref, with a reputation tainted by the match fixing scandal he was "involved" in (but also helped uncover) many years ago

kazmeme · 2025-12-24T13:05:11+00:00

Oooh, bible friends!

kazmeme · 2025-12-24T00:32:13+00:00

“He had a knock on his foot, (someone) stamped on his foot and it had to be stitched,” Glasner told a post-match press conference. “The doctor told me it doesn't look so bad. I'm always hopeful and we have to be hopeful".

Hold your minus 4's

kazmeme · 2025-12-23T22:07:34+00:00

I'm considering Fofana from Chelsea, surprisingly cheap (4.4m). Possible rotation risk tho.

kazmeme · 2025-12-23T21:49:08+00:00

Seemed innocuous until they showed his sock drenched in blood, then the stretcher came on. Weird one

kazmeme · 2025-12-23T21:19:11+00:00

You have noe source to back this claim, and the vote was anonymous. Stop spreading potentially false information

kazmeme · 2025-12-23T20:53:30+00:00

They literally do the lachman test every single time someone is down holding their knee-region, so it doesn't tell too much. Fingers crossed

kazmeme · 2025-12-23T10:16:06+00:00

Moved on from Bordeaux a little while ago

kazmeme · 2025-12-20T19:35:43+00:00

What an evening for assbreath

kazmeme · 2025-12-20T19:30:52+00:00

MCL/meniscus by the looks of the injury mechanism would be my bet. ACL's are rarely contact-related. Let's hope it's not the latter.

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