Most valuable injured XI at the moment
Injuries are part and parcel of a contact sport like football. Despite a team's best efforts, key players do get injured over the course of a season. These injuries either derail a team's campaign or force them to significantly lower their ambitions in the immediate future.
Thanks to advancements in sports science and depth in rosters, most top teams can mitigate injuries to key players to a large extent. However, that isn't always the case, which is why the minutes of such players are carefully managed. Nevertheless, not even the best of teams are immune to player injuries.
As is the case every season, many top players are out injured this campaign as well. On that note, here's a look at the most valuable injured XI at the moment.
A 4-2-2-2 formation has been considered for this hypothetical XI. All stats are as per transfermarkt unless mentioned otherwise.
So without further ado, let's get started:
# Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan (AC Milan) - €25 million
Mike Maignan hit the ground running on his arrival at AC Milan this summer. The Frenchman kept two clean sheets in his first three league games to showcase his pedigree.
Though he has kept only one other clean sheet in six subsequent games across competitions, Maignan has been a rock at the back for Milan. He also saved a penalty off Mohamed Salah in a Champions League game. In the process of saving the spot-kick, Maignan tore a ligament in his wrist that necessitated surgery.
Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan is undergoing surgery on his wrist today, but he sustained the injury when saving Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool penalty last month football-italia.net/how-maignan-wa… #ACMilan #LFC #UCL
Although the operation was a success, Maignan now faces up to ten weeks on the sidelines, which rules him out for the rest of the calendar year.
# Left-back: Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund) - €40 million
Raphael Guerreiro is one of the top goalscoring full-backs in the game at the moment. The 27-year-old has tallied 32 goals and as many assists in 168 games across competitions for Borussia Dortmund.
Guerreiro has already scored three times in six league games for BVB this season. However, he is currently down with an injury, which he sustained while on international duty with Portugal last month.
🏥 Current list of injured:
- Raphaël Guerreiro
- Mateu Morey
- Nico Schulz
- Soumaïla Coulibaly
- Thomas Meunier
- Mo Dahoud
- Gio Reyna
- Erling Haaland
- Youssoufa Moukoko
#BVB
With a mounting list of key injured players, it remains to be seen how Marco Rose's men will fare in the next few weeks.
# Centre-back - Raphael Varane (Manchester United) - €70 million
Raphael Varane is one of the best centre-backs in the game at the moment. Varane was a statement signing of sorts when Manchester United landed him from Real Madrid this summer.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner made a rousing start to life at Old Trafford, notching up an assist. Varane played nine games for the club across competitions before sustaining an injury in the UEFA Nations League final.
ℹ️ The latest on the injury sustained by @RaphaelVarane in the #NationsLeague final 👇
#MUFC
In his absence, United have slumped to league defeats against Liverpool and Manchester City. Although he returned for the Red Devils' win at Spurs, Varane pulled his hamstring in the Champions League draw at Atalanta. He is likely to miss action for at least a month, as informed by the club.
# Centre-back - Presnel Kimpembe (PSG) - €70 million
Presnel Kimpembe has been a key player for PSG this season, making a whopping 17 appearances across competitions already.
However, the 26-year-old centre-back endured a hamstring injury to his left thigh earlier this month, as confirmed by his club. He is expected to return in two weeks time.
The medical tests that Presnel Kimpembe underwent today confirmed a hamstring injury on his left thigh.
en.psg.fr/teams/first-te…
Kimpembe has made nearly 200 appearances across competitions for PSG since debuting for the Ligue 1 giants in 2014-15.
# Right-back: Sergino Dest (Barcelona) - €30 million
Sergino Dest is one of the most exciting young full-backs in the game at the moment. The young American joined Barcelona last summer and has racked up over 50 games across competitions already. That includes 13 games this campaign.
However, the 21-year-old injured his lumbago earlier this month, and is slated to miss around three weeks of action. In the process, Dest joined a mounting list of injured Barcelona players. The Blaugrana had this to say about Dest's injury:
“The first team player Sergiño Dest has lower back pain. He is unavailable for selection and his recovery will dictate his return."
Barcelona's injury list is LONG 🤯
- Ansu Fati
- Ousmane Dembele
- Sergio Aguero
- Pedri
- Sergino Dest
- Nico Gonzalez
- Eric Garcia
- Gerard Pique
- Martin Braithwaite
- Sergi Roberto
- Neto https://t.co/9EnPyvf6AC
Under new head coach Xavi, Dest will look to hit the ground running and continue being a part of the club's rebuild.