Zinedine Zidane blames excess of games as Ferland Mendy is latest injury victim for Real Madrid

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has blamed an excess of fixtures for the club's growing injury crisis, which has been aggravated by a fresh blow suffered by left-back Ferland Mendy on Tuesday.

Mendy missed the start of the season with an injury and is now out with an adductor problem which will rule him out of Wednesday's La Liga game at home to Osasuna and also the derby away to Atletico on Saturday.

Madrid have been plagued by injuries already n 2019-20. Marco Asensio is sidelined with a long-term injury sustained in pre-season, while Eden Hazard, Luka Modric, Isco, James Rodriguez, Brahim Diaz, Thibaut Courtois, Marcelo, Fede Valverde, Rodrygo, Mariano and Luka Jovic have all been out at some stage.

"We have seven games in 21 days following an international break and now there will be another," Zidane said in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

"The players are not machines and some of them never stop. A modern-day footballer, and even more so at Madrid, has to play every three days. You have no time to rest.

"I used to play 45 games and now they play 60... almost two seasons in one."

Zidane had appeared under pressure after last week's 3-0 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, but that was eased as his side secured an impressive 1-0 win at Sevilla on Sunday.

"When we lose, I'm out," he said. "And when we win, I'm in. It's always been like that. Tomorrow, we have to play with the same intensity and desire."

Modric and Isco are back in training and could play against Osasuna, while Marcelo worked alone on Tuesday and is not quite ready to return.