Vinicius Júnior and Eduardo Camavinga headline a star-studded moment in Los Angeles
During the NBA Christmas game at Crypto.com Arena, Vinicius Júnior and Eduardo Camavinga found themselves in the front row, soaking in the electric energy of a game widely regarded as one of the tournament’s marquee matchups. The Brazilian and French players are among the biggest basketball fans in their circles, and they used the holiday week to visit the United States and catch a few games in the tournament. The pair were later seen in the facilities of Los Angeles Galaxy, where they continued their rehab with the club’s staff guiding their recovery and conditioning work.
These two stars also play pivotal roles in the ongoing Real Madrid story. Reports indicate Carlo Ancelotti is coordinating their return to team activities after injury setbacks. The French international is expected back after the Christmas break, potentially lining up with the Whites in their league opener against Mallorca on January 3. Eduardo Camavinga sustained an external collateral ligament injury to his right knee during a training session in France. A former Barcelona player, Ousmane Dembélé, was involved in an incident that contributed to the injury, underscoring the physical toll of high level training.
Vinicius steps onto a demanding road ahead
Vinicius is recovering from a tear to the biceps femoris. His plan is to rejoin the squad during the international break when the team travels for the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, a competition scheduled from January 10 to January 14. The coaching staff is carefully monitoring a distal tendon issue in his left leg, the tendon bearing the brunt of explosive sprinting and acceleration. The club remains cautiously optimistic that Vinicius can return to competitive rhythm after the break, though the coaching staff will guard against an premature comeback to protect his long term health.
There is continued attention on the overall injury landscape surrounding Real Madrid. A few scenarios have emerged regarding how the squad will cope with injuries as the season progresses. Éder Militao, who limped out of the season opener against Athletic Club in San Mamés, is progressing well and could return to training with his teammates by late March or early April, becoming a key option for the closing phase of the campaign. With David Alaba sidelined by a cruciate ligament injury sustained in a recent match against Villarreal, the team is counting on Militao to reinforce the defense as the calendar moves forward. The Austrian defender is not expected back until the following season, adding to the defensive challenge heading into the later weeks of this campaign.
The third case centers on Thibaut Courtois, who traveled to the United States this week and was seen courtside with another Real Madrid figure. Courtois witnessed Luka Dončić in action with the Dallas Mavericks during a separate engagement. The Belgian goalkeeper continues a slow return from a cruciate ligament injury suffered on August 10 and is not anticipated to be match-ready before the end of the season, as the pace of his rehabilitation lags behind Militao’s recovery trajectory. These developments shape the goalkeeper situation and influence strategic planning as the season unfolds. [citation: official Real Madrid medical communications]