Real Madrid blow as Dean Huijsen suffers quadriceps injury - out vs Olympiacos and Girona, doubt for Athletic

Dean Huijsen has picked up a quadriceps injury at precisely the moment Real Madrid enter a brutal stretch. He will miss Olympiacos and Girona, with a trip to San Mames to face Athletic also in serious doubt. From what I hear, the medical staff are cautious, and they should be. Quadriceps problems rarely behave when rushed. Madrid fans wanted positive news on Rüdiger and Militao, but this only deepens the headache. As a reporter who has watched these timelines unravel, I can tell you this is no quick fix. The fixture list just smiled at the rest of us.

Spanish press, including Marca, report Dean Huijsen has sustained a quadriceps muscle injury ahead of a demanding run for Real Madrid. He is ruled out of the midweek European tie against Olympiacos and the La Liga clash with Girona, and remains a major doubt for the visit to Athletic Club at San Mames next week. The news lands amid ongoing questions about the fitness of Antonio Rüdiger and Eder Militao, tightening an already thin center back group during a congested period.

🚨 NEW: Dean Huijsen suffers from a quadriceps muscle injury. He will miss the game vs Olympiacos, Girona and he's also a doubt for Athletic at San Mamés next week. @marca

@MadridXtra

Impact Analysis

From a rival press box, this plays out exactly as feared in Madrid circles - one strain opens the floodgates for structural problems. Huijsen’s absence forces Carlo Ancelotti to juggle risk and reputation. If Rüdiger is not fully ready, and with Militao’s rhythm still a question, Madrid shift from a platform of control to a patchwork at the back. That invites pressure, especially away at San Mames where Athletic attack second balls and press diagonals relentlessly.

Quadriceps injuries are unforgiving. Grade 1 knocks can fool you, then bite again the first time a defender opens up to sprint backward. My contacts around high performance departments always circle the 3 to 5 week window for genuine match readiness - anything sooner is bravado. If Madrid try to rush him because the badge is heavy and the calendar is cruel, they risk a setback that writes off a chunk of winter.

Tactically, expect deeper fullback lines and more conservative rest defense. Tchouameni has covered as an emergency center back before, but that robs midfield of its screen. Yoro can carry big minutes, though pairing him with a half-fit partner turns transitions into coin flips. Opponents will target channels, force foot races, and test set piece marks. In short - Madrid’s margin for error just shrank, and the table will feel it.

Reaction

The fan chatter is a cocktail of frustration and fatalism. One supporter summed it up: the muscle injuries always hit right before the toughest fixtures. Another called it a tough setback and wished a quick recovery, while the more anxious voices immediately pivoted to timelines - when is Militao back, is Rüdiger going to be ready? That tells you where confidence stands in the depth chart.

Some are already branding Huijsen as injury prone at a young age and wondering why this did not happen previously at other clubs. Others are resigned - back in the trenches, as one put it. There is also a fair slice of empathy, with fans offering support and urging patience, but the dominant tone is worry about the run of games. The common thread is distrust of optimistic return dates. Many Madridistas have been burned by soft tissue hopes that slipped a week, then two, then a month. The demand now is clarity from the club and smarter rotation - and yes, a prayer for clean scans on the senior center backs.

Social reactions

He’s so lame and weak

Hakeem95 (@Hakeem95i)

When’s militao back ?

Adam (@AdamAyu47706823)

That’s a tough setback for Dean and the team.

Yanah (@YanaSn0w1)

Prediction

If history with quad strains holds, Huijsen sits longer than the early whisper suggests. The prudent lane is a phased return after the next international window, not before. In the short term, Madrid scrape together pairings - Yoro with Rüdiger if cleared, or Yoro with a stopgap solution and extra cover from midfield. Ancelotti will likely flatten the fullbacks, compress distances, and prioritize first contact on long balls to hide raw edges.

Olympiacos away or under lights is a trap when your line is makeshift - they will flood second balls and clip crosses. Girona punish any hesitation in the half spaces. Athletic at San Mames is the stress test - if Madrid survive that, the crisis downgrades to a nuisance. Expect opponents to crowd set pieces and hunt at the back post. If Rüdiger misses any part of this run, Tchouameni’s emergency minutes at center back increase, which weakens ball progression and invites waves of pressure. Best case - grindy wins with low margins. Worst case - dropped points that reopen the title race and force winter market conversations sooner than Florentino would like.

Latest today

• Red card or not? Why the high-studs challenge crosses the Law 12 line
• Manchester United line up January loans for Diego Leon and Sekou Kone as Ayden Heaven revi...
• Calm words in a storm: Real Madrid lineup choices spark fan backlash over Mbappé at 9 and...
• Manchester United push for Elliot Anderson - INEOS target a homegrown left 8 built for Old...

Conclusion

For all the spin, this is exactly the kind of injury that scrambles Madrid’s carefully drawn plans. Huijsen was not just depth - he was a live option for rotation across a suffocating schedule. Take him out, and the dominoes fall. The data on quad injuries is clear: sprint loads and repeated accelerations spike risk, and defenders absorb the worst of it during transitional blocks. Madrid are now living that reality.

From the outside looking in, rivals will fancy their chances. Cross early, press late, and flood the near post. Madrid can still navigate this, but only with discipline and a little fortune on fitness. Stretch the return date, protect the player, and avoid the short term sugar rush that causes a relapse. If they gamble, they pay twice. If they stay calm, they might just crawl through this run and come out with the title picture intact. But make no mistake - this is a blow, and it arrives right on cue.