Real Madrid’s hopes of doing a three-peat in the UEFA Champions League were dealt a major blow as defender Dani Carvajal was forced off with an apparent hamstring injury midway into the first-half of the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool on Saturday night.
36′ 🔁 | 0-0 | We’ve made our first change of the match with @DaniCarvajal92 replaced by @nachofi1990. #APorLa13 pic.twitter.com/crsOL80Tcz
— Real Madrid C.F.🇺🇸🇬🇧 (@realmadriden) May 26, 2018
Carvajal was attempting a backheel when he stumbled while being shadowed by Liverpool fullback Andy Robertson and immediately went down.
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The Real physios were quick to assist the Spaniard, who is in Spain’s 23-man squad for the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup, but he was unable to continue and was replaced by compatriot Nacho in the 37th minute.
Carvajal’s had his share of injury problems this season and is now a major doubt for the quadrennial showpiece in Russia, which starts on June 14.
Real weren’t the only side to make an early change as Liverpool lost star winger Mohamed Salah to a shoulder injury on the half-hour mark.
Salah, like Carvajal, was sobbing as he was forced off in the 30th minute. The Egyptian winger was replaced by English midfielder Adam Lallana.
At half-time, the score remained 0-0 with both sides enjoying plenty of half-chances.