Real Madrid lost two first-team stars to what appear to be serious injuries during a frantic seven-minute spell in the first half of their La Liga clash against Osasuna on Saturday.

The reigning champions went into their home match at the Bernabeu already discouraged thanks to back-to-back defeats on the same pitch.

Beaten by rivals FC Barcelona 4-0 in the Clasico, Carlo Ancelotti’s men lost 3-1 to his former club AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, paving the way for talk of a crisis in the white half of the Spanish capital.

Ancelotti made three changes to the side involved in this latest setback, with Rodrygo handed a start and a chance to impress in attack.

But with just 20 minutes left on the clock, the Brazilian fell to the ground, hitting his left leg.

He managed to leave the field without needing assistance, but was emotional on the bench as he was consoled by his teammates as Brahim Diaz replaced him.

Seven minutes later, the worst was expected for defender Eder Militao, who had to be stretchered off in tears.

His replacement Raul Asencio provided an assist for Jude Bellingham as Madrid led 2-0 after Vinicius Jr.’s opener and went down the tunnel at the break with such a lead.

But injuries are particularly worrying for Madrid at a time when the first team is short on strength.

The extent of the blows will likely be confirmed on Sunday afternoon, once the club’s medical services have carried out examinations on the players concerned.

Yet if Militao is out for a considerable period, Ancelotti is left with just one natural senior centre-back, Toni Rudiger, while David Alaba is yet to return.

Aurélien Tchouameni, who often stepped in on the backline with Rudiger when Alaba and Militao both went down with ACL injuries last season, has also been injured for at least a monthand all this could force Madrid to head to the transfer market in January.

On the front line, Brahim and Arda Guler, or even Endrick, could now be offered opportunities which have become rare recently in the case of these latter adolescents.