Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 7y

Real Madrid suffer Toni Kroos injury setback as midfielder breaks bone

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after the club confirmed he has broken a bone in his right foot.

Germany international Kroos, 26, suffered the injury during Sunday's 3-0 La Liga win at home to Leganes although it was only diagnosed after he had joined up with his country ahead of their World Cup Qualifier on Nov. 11 against San Marino and friendly against Italy on Nov. 15.

While Madrid have not given any expected time on the sidelines, the former Bayern Munich player looks set to be unavailable Madrid's La Liga derbi at Atletico Madrid on Nov. 19, and the Clasico at Barcelona on Dec. 3.

AS reports that similar injuries recently saw teammates James Rodriguez out for two months and Marcelo for three months.

News of the injury was confirmed in a Madrid club statement which said that the problem had been noticed after Kroos had arrived in Germany, with tests done under the supervision of his club's doctors.

"After tests carried out in Germany on our player Toni Kroos, under the supervision of Madrid's medical services, an avulsion fracture was diagnosed at the base of the fifth metatarsal of his right foot, which occurred during the last Liga game against Leganes," the statement said. "His return depends on his recovery."

Injuries to other first-choice midfielders Luka Modric and Casemiro in recent months mean that Kroos had played all 90 minutes of Madrid's last 11 games, across three competitions, including the 6-1 win in their Copa del Rey last-32 first leg at third-tier La Cultural y Deportivo Leonesa.

Modric returned to play as a substitute in the win over Leganes, and has now gone on international duty with Croatia. Casemiro was withdrawn from Brazil's squad for their upcoming games, with coach Zinedine Zidane saying on Sunday that he was making progress but had not yet kicked a ball in training.

Ahead of late October's 2-1 La Liga win at home to Athletic Bilbao, in which Kroos was vital as Madrid pushed for their late winner, Zidane was asked if he had concerns about the key midfielder being overplayed.

"I am not worried as he is not worried," the French coach said then. "We have just [Casemiro] and him for that position [in deep midfield]. He always says he can play. So I am relaxed about that."

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