Dean Huijsen ruled out vs Getafe, doubt for Juventus: Real Madrid’s defensive headaches grow

Dean Huijsen will reportedly miss the clash against Getafe and is a doubt for the midweek meeting with Juventus, a fresh headache for Real Madrid’s already stretched defense. From a rival’s lens, this is exactly the kind of disruption that exposes their shallow rotation at center-back and unsettles set-piece structure. Madrid’s schedule offers no mercy, and taking a promising option off the board forces riskier minutes for fatigued starters. Expect conservative ball progression, fewer aggressive lines, and a jittery aerial unit under Getafe’s pressure. If Juventus is indeed next, the timing is brutal—and frankly, ideal for their opponents.

Spanish reports indicate that Dean Huijsen has been ruled out of the upcoming game against Getafe and faces a race to be fit for a midweek encounter with Juventus. The news lands amid a congested run that had earmarked squad rotation at center-back. Madrid’s recent defensive injuries and recoveries have created a thin margin for error; this setback further restricts tactical flexibility and minutes management. The expectation is that the coaching staff will pivot to established starters, with limited opportunities for experimentation before midweek.

🚨 Dean Huijsen will MISS the game against Getafe. He's also a doubt for Juventus game on Wednesday. @diarioas

@MadridXtra

Impact Analysis

From a tactical viewpoint, removing Huijsen from the shortlist of available central defenders narrows Madrid’s options in ways that are easy to exploit. Getafe thrive on second balls, long diagonals, and ugly, aerial-heavy phases—precisely where fresh legs and a physically dominant deputy can stabilize the back line. Without him, Madrid likely double down on conservative rest-defense: fullbacks tuck narrower, the six drops earlier into the last line, and the first pass out of pressure becomes safer and more predictable. That invites opponents to press higher and turn the game into a territory battle.

Set-piece defense is the next red flag. Madrid have relied on staggered zonal marks with a designated attack on the first-contact lane; take out a tall rotational center-back and you compromise that first-contact probability and the clearance distances. Over 90 minutes, that bleeds expected goals against via corners, free kicks, and recycled entries.

Strategically, the domino effect hits midweek planning. If Juventus are next, any minutes added to overworked starters increase soft-tissue risk and degrade their acceleration profile by the hour. For a rival, this is the perfect window: stress the back line vertically early, then hammer set pieces once fatigue sets in. And if Madrid are forced to reshuffle late, transitions become even messier.

Reaction

Fan sentiment is split between sarcasm and fatigue. One supporter quipped that Huijsen is “taking more vacations than a travel influencer,” mocking the timing as Madrid edge into a demanding stretch. Others sounded exasperated with the cumulative injury trend—“I hate all these injuries ffs”—and framed it as a rerun of last season’s strain cycle. A more optimistic voice wished for a quick recovery, but even that was couched in worry about the looming Juventus date.

There were edgy jabs, too: a user claimed Madrid’s shiny signings and prospects are “always available vs. small sides, missing for big ones,” while another wondered if a micro tear could stretch this into a long season storyline. A tactical-minded fan asked what the options really are at the back, implicitly acknowledging that every absence forces the same two or three names to shoulder disproportionate minutes. In short, the crowd smells vulnerability: fewer rotations, predictable pairings, more risk. Rival fans, unsurprisingly, are enjoying the moment.

Social reactions

Dean Huijsen taking more vacations than a travel influencer.. Getafe and Juventus both on hold

Abdul Qayyum 🪺 (@0xaq_)

Hope he will cure soon

Faiz (@FMansikta60974)

But he'd be back for el classico right?

Kalvin of web3 (@kalvinweb3)

Prediction

Reading the situation like a cold-blooded rival, I’d pencil the return window far beyond the optimistic chatter. Even if this is framed as a precaution, the context screams multi-game caution, not a 48-hour turnaround. Expect Madrid to tiptoe through Getafe with a conservative block and then approach Juventus with heavy reliance on first-choice center-backs—who won’t be anywhere near peak freshness by the 70th minute. That’s when the set-piece and transition traps will bite.

Short-term, this likely triggers an emergency reshuffle: a defensive pivot dropping into the last line in build-up, plus a Castilla call-up as insurance on the bench. Don’t be surprised if minutes are rationed for fullbacks to cover aerial deficits at the back post, and if the six screens deeper to kill direct entries.

Medium-term, if the pattern of niggles persists, Madrid will be pushed into the market or lean on academy depth more aggressively than planned. Either way, rivals will target the first-contact lanes and isolate the slower center-back in channels. The data trend is obvious: the longer the rotation remains thin, the higher the expected goals conceded from restarts and second phases.

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Conclusion

Strip away the spin and it’s simple: Madrid’s defensive puzzle loses another piece at the worst possible time. Even if the official line leans “short-term,” the game-state realities—Getafe’s aerial chaos followed by Juventus’ transitional sharpness—magnify every absence. As a rival analyst, I don’t see a quick fix. The likely response is to bunker smarter, compress distances, and trust star power to bail them out in moments. That works until fatigue meets variance: one bad clearance, one mismatched duel, one recycled corner, and the match tilts.

It’s also a psychological hit. The locker room knows the margins are thin; the staff knows rotation plans keep getting ripped up. Opponents will smell that fragility and front-foot the press. If Madrid navigate this week unscathed, credit to their elite floor. But the edge has shifted, and until bodies return—and stay back—rivals will keep targeting that soft underbelly.