Alvaro Morata’s injury gave Madrid a scar after hobbling off in the 27th minutes of Thursday’s friendly victory in Brussels, and was later replaced by Diego Costa.
Real Madrid feared the 23-year-old Alvaro Morata leg injury could be serious, but Spain’s new head coach Julen Lopetegui played down the knock and anticipates the Spanish striker playing Monday’s qualifier against Liechtenstein.
“He had a knock and he worried that he could have a muscular problem,” Lopetegui told the Spanish FA’s (RFEF) official website. “Fortunately that was not the case and we only replaced him as a precaution.”
Morata, who has scored six goals in 14 matches since making his first outing for the national team back in November 2014, is expected to start on Monday in Lyon when Spain commence their World Cup qualifying stages against Liechtenstein. La Roja will also take on Israel, Italy, Macedonia and Albania in group G.
Though Morata has been in great form, scoring his first goal against Celta Vigo in last weekends victory, Real starting centre-forward position remains Karim Benzema’s when fit.
The France international was linked with a transfer deadline day move to Paris Saint-Germain. With Edinson Cavani rumored to exit the club, the French giants reportedly bid £50 million for Benzema services, per Italian source Corriere dello Sport.
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Benzema’s struggles of not seeing the field this year has absolutely nothing to do with Morata’s resurgence. The 28-year-old has been battling reoccurring hip injury that sidelined him much of the latter parts of last campaign and so far this season.
He tallied 28 goals in 36 matches for Los Blancos last year, but was left out of France’s Euro 2016 squad due to the blackmail scandal involving his fellow teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
While this move would have bolstered PSG’s front line, it would obviously impaired Zidane’s attacking options. The Frenchman is as vital to Madrid as both Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale: He’s a proven goal-scorer, an aerial threat, can play with his back to goal and more importantly his link up play is exceptional. Los Merengues front line is superior when Benzema is fit.
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