Real Madrid will conclude their 2025-26 season this Saturday with a home fixture against Athletic Club. Manager Alvaro Arbeloa’s team aims for a positive finish, though several players will be unavailable.
Long-term absentees Eder Militao and Rodrygo Goes will not participate, nor will Ferland Mendy (also injured) and Dani Ceballos (rested by Arbeloa). However, Fede Valverde is expected to recover in time for a return, and there is optimism regarding Arda Guler’s condition.
Guler sustained a hamstring injury last month, which was initially believed to signal the end of his season. However, on Wednesday, he rejoined Real Madrid training sessions, according to Marca. He participated in parts of the session with his teammates, with the plan being to gradually increase his workload over the coming days.
Real Madrid Unlikely to Take Chances with Guler
Despite his return to training, it is widely expected that Guler will not feature in this weekend’s match. It’s important to remember that the midfielder is set to represent Türkiye in the 2026 World Cup. Given that the Athletic Club game is a dead rubber for Real Madrid, the first-team coaching staff sees no reason to risk him.
It is highly sensible for Guler to be held out this weekend. Muscle injuries have a significant risk of re-aggravation if players return too soon, and with a major tournament like the World Cup on the horizon, there’s simply no justification for Real Madrid to call upon the Turkish international, especially considering they have no points to play for against Athletic.
Guler will be focused on regaining full match fitness in the coming weeks, aiming to be ready to start for Türkiye’s opening match of this summer’s World Cup in North America.
