Real Madrid confirm Raúl Asencio will have surgery for right tibia stress fracture

# What happened Real Madrid published a medical statement confirming that defender Raúl Asencio will undergo surgery to repair a stress fracture in the tibia of his right leg. The club said the operation was scheduled for Thursday and that the player will begin his recovery in the following days.

# Injury background Asencio experienced pain and discomfort during the second half of the 2025–26 season but continued to play through those symptoms. Real Madrid's statement and subsequent reporting indicate the issue persisted into the current season, and the club decided surgery was necessary to address the stress fracture.

# Expected recovery timeline

# Squad implications The timing of the surgery decreases Real Madrid's central-defensive options. At the moment of the announcement: Dean Huijsen faces suspension for the next game after receiving a red card against Atlético de Madrid, and Ibrahima Konaté is also unavailable through injury. That combination leaves Antonio Rüdiger as the only fit centre-back available to José Mourinho and the coaching staff for the upcoming match.

# Immediate aftermath Real Madrid's medical services supervised the operation. Follow-up reporting noted that the surgery was performed by Dr. Manuel Leyes and that the head coach, José Mourinho, visited Asencio post-surgery. The club said Asencio would begin his recovery process in the coming days.

# What this means practically

• Depth considerations: The club's immediate need for cover could influence transfer or internal promotion discussions, depending on how long Konaté remains sidelined and how the coaching staff manages minutes for remaining defenders.

# Short timeline

• Second half of 2025–26 season: Asencio experienced pain and played through it.
• September 29–30, 2026: Reports and club messaging indicated surgery was imminent.
• Thursday (per club statement): Operation scheduled to repair the right-tibia stress fracture.

# Bottom line Real Madrid confirmed Raúl Asencio needed surgery for a stress fracture in his right tibia and will be out for a multi-month recovery. The absence further strains the club's central-defensive options in the short term, with immediate selection and strategic consequences for upcoming matches.