Real Madrid star James Rodriguez is set to miss Colombia’s games in the U.S. during the next international break after picking up a calf muscle injury in Saturday’s 1-1 La Liga draw with Valladolid, sources have told ESPN FC.
Making his first appearance of the 2019-20 campaign, having not featured at all for Zinedine Zidane‘s side through preseason when he was expected to leave the Bernabeu, the 29-year-old suffered the injury early in the second half.
Madrid confirmed on Monday via a club statement that tests found “a muscle injury in the right soleus,” and sources close to the player told ESPN FC that he would be sidelined for 3-4 weeks.
That rules James out of Madrid’s La Liga trip to Villarreal next weekend, and Los Cafeteros‘ friendlies against Brazil and Venezuela in Miami and Tampa on Sept. 7 and 11, with a possible return against Levante at the Bernabeu on Sept. 14.
Also currently out with muscle problems are Los Blancos attackers Eden Hazard, Brahim Diaz and Rodrygo Goes, while Marco Asensio will not play again until 2020 due to a serious knee injury picked up preseason.