Just a couple of weeks after he made his first-team debut for Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly, 16-year-old prospect Joan Martinez was dealt a major setback.
The teenage defender, who joined Real Madrid last summer, tore his ACL during a first-team training session on Friday.
Given the severity of the injury, the Spanish prodigy is set to undergo surgery and will be sidelined for a period of at least six to seven months.
This comes as a crushing blow for young Martinez, who had great chances to earn some minutes in the senior team this season, with Carlo Ancelotti being impressed by the youngster.
Rudiger stands alongside Martinez
Considering his age and the nature of his injury, Friday’s experience would likely have been an extremely overwhelming one for young Joan Martinez.
However, according to Mario Cortegana, the 16-year-old prodigy received ample support from senior defender Antonio Rudiger following his injury.
Indeed, as per The Athletic journalist, Rudiger accompanied Martinez to the hospital for his medical exams after he suffered the injury on Friday.
Later on, the German international even accompanied the youngster back to his home, providing the 16-year-old some much-needed support at a difficult juncture.
Rudiger, one of the leaders of this Real Madrid side, had received a letter of support from Florentino Perez back in 2016 when he had suffered an ACL injury. It was one of the main motivators behind the German’s desire to join the Merengues.
Now, the veteran defender is stepping up in times of need and helping a young talent go through a difficult experience.