Vinicius Jr shone with a brilliant hat-trick as Real Madrid triumphed 4-0 over Osasuna, a victory clouded by Eder Militao’s severe knee injury. The Brazilian defender suffered a complete anterior cruciate ligament tear involving both menisci in his right leg after an awkward landing during a corner. His agonizing exit on a stretcher marked a significant setback for the team. Militao’s place was filled by 21-year-old Raul Asencio, making his Real debut.

Real Madrid confirmed that Militao will undergo surgery in the coming days. Manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed concern about the strain on players, noting, “Three injuries in the first half is quite rare. The demands of the schedule do not allow players to rest and be fresh. The risk of injuries is higher. It is a general thing, not just for us.”

Despite these issues, Vinicius Jr spearheaded Madrid’s attack. He opened the scoring by cutting in from the left and finding the far corner past goalkeeper Sergio Herrera. Jude Bellingham doubled the lead, showcasing finesse as he controlled Asencio’s impressive long ball and chipped it over Herrera.

Vinicius secured his second after the break with help from a perfect long pass by goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, rounding Herrera for an easy finish. The Brazilian completed his hat-trick following a quick assist from substitute Brahim Diaz, who had intercepted Osasuna’s Enzo Boyomo.

However, Real’s win was marred by further injuries. Rodrygo limped off after 20 minutes, and Lucas Vazquez couldn’t continue beyond halftime. This adds to a growing injury list that includes Dani Carvajal, sidelined with an ACL tear, and David Alaba, also recovering from a knee issue.

Real Madrid’s dominant win places them six points behind leaders Barcelona, who could extend their lead when they face Real Sociedad on Sunday at 20:00 GMT.

Neymar has reassured fans after picking up a new injury during his second match back for Al-Hilal, following a year-long recovery. The 32-year-old Brazilian striker was taken off in the 86th minute of Al-Hilal’s 3-0 Asian Champions League Elite victory over Esteghlal on Monday.

Describing the discomfort, Neymar said, “It felt like a cramp, only very strong. I’m going to have some tests and I hope it’s nothing too serious.” He shared this on Instagram, adding, “It’s normal for this to happen after a year. The doctors had already warned me, so I have to be careful and play more minutes.”

The injury scare comes after Neymar spent a year recovering from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament sustained during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023. Since transferring from Paris Saint-Germain to Al-Hilal in August 2023, he has featured in only seven matches for the Saudi Arabian club.

The New Orleans Saints have dismissed head coach Dennis Allen following a string of poor performances, culminating in their seventh consecutive defeat of the season. The latest setback came in a narrow 23-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, marking the team’s longest losing streak since 1999.

Allen, who took over the head coaching role in 2022 after the departure of Sean Payton, leaves with a record of 18 wins from 43 games and no playoff appearances during his two-and-a-half-year tenure. The Saints’ struggles this season have been compounded by numerous injuries, although Allen refrained from making excuses.

In a statement, Saints owner Gayle Benson described the decision to part ways with Allen as “very tough” but necessary. General manager Mickey Loomis echoed the sentiment, acknowledging the season’s challenges, particularly the “avalanche of injuries” that plagued the team.

Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Allen’s departure marks him as the second NFL head coach to be fired this season, following Robert Saleh’s dismissal by the New York Jets last month.

The Saints organization now looks ahead to finding a long-term leader capable of revitalizing the team and returning them to playoff contention.