Real Madrid has been gripped by a recurring nightmare over the past 15 months, with the club facing an unprecedented string of serious knee injuries. Dubbed the 'cruciate crisis,' this plague of torn anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) has ravaged the team at an alarming rate—one major ACL injury every month and a half. In total, the club has suffered 10 ACL injuries since August 2023, with both the men's and women's teams impacted.

The crisis began on August 10, 2023, when Thibaut Courtois tore his ACL in his left knee during training. Just two days later, Eder Militao followed with an identical injury during the season opener at San Mamés. These back-to-back injuries left the team reeling, and it was only the start.

In September, the ACL curse spread to Real Madrid's women's team when Caroline Weir tore her ligament while playing for Scotland, followed a month later by youth player Carla Camacho. The ACL injuries kept coming. In December, defender David Alaba tore his ACL in his left knee, an injury that required additional surgeries and has kept him sidelined for nearly a year.

This season’s preparations were disrupted when youth player César Palacios tore his ACL during a friendly against AC Milan in the preseason U.S. tour. More young talents like Mesonero and Joan Martínez also fell victim to the curse, compounding the defensive issues caused by the exits and injuries of key players. Then came another major blow when Dani Carvajal suffered multiple tears in his right knee, including his ACL, during a match against Villarreal on October 5, 2024.

The latest victim, once again, is Militao, who tore his ACL for the second time, this time in his right knee, further extending this dramatic run of injuries that has placed Real Madrid's defense in crisis. These devastating injuries have deeply affected both the players and the club, raising questions about how such a relentless series of setbacks could happen and what can be done to prevent more in the future.

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