Vinicius Jr hits out at UEFA as Real Madrid star ruled out of Liverpool clash
Carlo Ancelotti will be without a host of Real Madrid stars for the Champions League visit to Liverpool on Wednesday night with Vinicius Jr the latest big name to be sidelined
by Alan Smith · The MirrorVinicius Jr has been ruled out by Real Madrid for Wednesday night's Champions League tie against Liverpool because of a hamstring injury which has led to the Brazilian hitting out against the packed fixture list.
The winger took a full part in Sunday's 3-0 win against Leganes but will not travel to Merseyside on Tuesday after the reigning champions said he had sustained "an injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg."
Vinicius is expected to be out for about three weeks and in a message on social media he pointed the finger of blame at executives behind a hectic fixture schedule that has most notably seen UEFA expand the Champions League by at least two matches, writing: "Crazy calendar. Time to recover."
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti will also be without Lucas Vazquez and Aurelien Tchouameni for a game that carriew far greater importance so them than it does Arne Slot's Liverpool. The Spanish giants are in 18th place with the Reds top of the table, the only side to still enjoy a 100 per cent winning record after four rounds of fixtures.
Real's injuries mean Francisco Valverde is set to continue at right back - with Ancelotti joking that he is the best in the world in that position after the absentees amid speculation of a move for Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold next summer.
“Lucas and Tchouameni… we don’t know, but we’ll try to get them back. The truth is that Fede, at the back, did very well,” Ancelotti said after the Leganes win. Valverde, he’s a fantastic full-back. After Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez, he’s the best right-back in the world.
"His problem is that he can play at this level in many positions and the coach’s problem is choosing his best position for the team. But I liked him at the back, he has incredible speed. We’ll see if Lucas and Tchouameni can recover. If not, we’ll make decisions.”
Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba and Eder Militao are also on the sidelines, while Rodrygo is a doubt.
Alexander-Arnold, who is one of three big names at Liverpool out of contract this summer, is expected to miss out having played no part in Sunday's come from behind win away to Southampton that extended their lead on top of the Premier League to eight points. Liverpool continue to remain without their first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
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