Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga is facing a race against time to be fit for the start of the La Liga season after sustaining an ankle injury.

The 22-year-old missed multiple training sessions, including one on Sunday morning, and is a doubt for the team’s last pre-season friendly with Austrian side Tirol on Tuesday. The scale of the ankle issue is currently unclear, though it is an injury which typically takes a period of weeks from which to make a full recovery.

Camavinga missed the final six matches of Madrid’s 2024-25 season — including the Copa del Rey final — with a left abductor tear he suffered in the club’s 1-0 win over Getafe, and did not recover in time to feature for the subsequent Club World Cup.

The France international made 35 appearances for Madrid in all competitions last season in an injury-disrupted campaign which saw him sidelined on four separate occasions.

Camavinga was sidelined for around seven weeks at the beginning of the season after he sprained a ligament in his left knee. He also missed over two weeks of action between November and December after picking up a hamstring injury in the Champions League defeat to Liverpool. Another hamstring issue ruled Camavinga out for three weeks between January and February.

Madrid beat off competition from Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain to sign Camavinga in 2021. The midfielder has since made 180 appearances for the Spanish club, and has helped them claim two La Liga titles, two Champions League trophies while also twice winning the Supercopa.

Xabi Alonso’s side face Tirol on Tuesday before their La Liga campaign gets underway on August 19 at home to Osasuna.

In July, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and La Liga denied a request submitted by Madrid to postpone their first game of the season following their involvement in the latter stages of the Club World Cup, in which they were defeated 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final.

(Denis Doyle/Getty Images)