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Madrid - Real Madrid's troubles deepened Thursday with the news that Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez would miss several weeks through injuries picked up during their crushing 4-1 midweek Champions League defeat to Ajax.
Dumped out of the Spanish Cup and distanced in the league by bitter rivals Barcelona in two defeats to the Catalans last week, Madrid have only pride to play for in the remainder of this season.
Madrid trail Barca by 12 points in the league, with 12 games left to play with Valladolid away next up on the agenda on Sunday.
Right-back Carvajal has a torn thigh muscle, while Vazquez has a thigh strain which Spanish press speculate will keep the pair out of action for a month.
Fans of Madrid, who have won the European title 13 times, may also have been concerned to witness the depth of Carvajal's distress after the recent spate of defeats.
"I've never felt as sick as this, I don't know how to explain it," said Carvajal on Tuesday.
"In one week everything has gone, and all of it after matches at home. Tonight we can't look for excuses, they were better and they deserved to go through.
Madrid's 18-year-old Brazilian striker Vinicius Junior is also in the sickbay, possibly for two months, after twisting an ankle during the defeat to the Dutch side.
Vinicius left the field in tears after sustaining the injury in the first half and a statement on Wednesday read: "Vinicius has been diagnosed with a ligament rupture of the right ankle."
