Kroos KO causes Madrid midfield conundrum

Real Madrid have been dealt another blow in midfield with the news Toni Kroos fractured a metatarsal during the Liga leaders' 3-0 victory over Leganés on Sunday.

The German international is likely to miss the rest of the UEFA Champions League group stage, with the holders still to secure their passage to the knockout phase. Moreover, he will sit out the forthcoming league visits to Atlético Madrid and Barcelona.

With Casemiro – a key fixture since Zinédine Zidane took charge last January – also currently sidelined, Kroos had been occupying a deeper role to cover for the Brazilian. Now Zidane must rejig his side further without two of his first-choice midfield three.

Luka Modrić will come back into the Madrid line-up©AFP/Getty Images

However, it is not all doom and gloom for the Frenchman. Luka Modrić made his first appearance since September against Leganés, so the Croatian international – pivotal to the 2014 and 2016 UEFA Champions League triumphs – should come straight back into the team.

Provided Casemiro does not return earlier than expected, Mateo Kovačić, who originally stepped in to fill the void created by Modrić's absence, may be asked to drop deeper to shield the back four as Kroos had been doing.

This would allow either Isco or James Rodríguez a place in the XI as the most advanced of the midfield three and would not disrupt the balance of the side unduly.

Of course, there are alternatives, including deploying Sergio Ramos as a holding midfielder. Although unlikely, particularly with Ramos recovering from a knee injury at present, it would not be the first time the captain has slotted into that position.

He put in a stellar display as the Merengues knocked out Atlético in the 2015 quarter-finals, when Zidane was Carlo Ancelotti's assistant, and retained his place for the semi-final defeat by Juventus.