Metzelder Suffers Injury Setback

Real Madrid's German defender Christoph Metzelder faces more time on the sidelines after suffering a relapse of the left-foot injury that has limited his playing time over the last couple of months.

Metzelder, 27, was considered for a place in Madrid's team to face Villarreal last weekend due to injuries to Pepe and Gabriel Heinze, but although he was named among the substitutes he was not fit enough to take part in the game.

With another week of training under his belt he was expected to be fit for this weekend's trip to Almeria, but such thoughts were scuppered when he broke down in training earlier today.

He has suffered a relapse of the Plantar fasciitis injury in his left-foot that he originally picked up in the Champions League against Lazio on the 8th December.

After eleven days on the sidelines, he returned to first team action for the Copa del Rey tie with Alicante, only to break down again when the team convened for training after the Christmas break.

Madrid's doctors are yet to give a prognosis as to the amount of time Metzelder will spend away from the first-team and will be carrying out tests this afternoon to determine the severity of the injury and the treatment necessary to get him back to fitness once again.

He has only made seven appearances for Los Blancos since signing on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.