Real Madrid came from behind to earn a point thanks to a last-minute equaliser by centre-back Antonio Rudiger.
Defending champions Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk in a UEFA Champions League Group F match on Tuesday night.
How did Antonio Rudiger suffered an injury in the head?
However, these face injuries are nothing new for the centre back. He shattered his jaw against Real Madrid two seasons ago while playing for Chelsea in the Champions League.
As a consequence, he suffered a bone damage on the side of his face and had to wear a mask as a precaution, which he continued to wear during Germany’s Euro 2020 campaign.
While scoring the equaliser, Rudiger sustained a horrific head injury after colliding with Shakhtar goalie Anatoliy Trubin in stoppage time, putting both players on the ground in agony.
Rudiger scored in the final minute of stoppage time and clashed with the Shakhtar goalie in the follow through, knocking both players to the ground. The German defender had a serious cut on his forehead, but he was able to get up on his own.
Update on Rudiger’s injury
Carlo Ancelloti, the head coach of Real Madrid, stated after the game: “He’s got a cut on his forehead. He’s recovering and he’s ok mentally. He was laughing and he’s happy because he scored an important goal”.
According to COPE, Rudiger needed 20 stitches after Tuesday’s match, which was played in Warsaw rather than Donetsk owing to the current conflict in Ukraine, but he was happily in a good mood on the aircraft back to Spain.
They might not see the powerful defender back on the field for a while, as the medical staff at the Santiago Bernabeu will likely have to conduct a thorough examination for any undiscovered injuries and factor in concussion protocol. Rudiger, on the other hand, was hailed as a hero in Warsaw, as the defending champions retained their perfect record in all competitions this season.
After 12 games without a loss, their next game will undoubtedly be their toughest yet. Madrid welcomes fierce rivals Barcelona to the Bernabeu on Sunday, with the visitors leading the La Liga standings on goal differential and looking to reclaim the Spanish title after a three-year absence.
