# Federico Valverde ankle injury > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/federico-valverde-ankle-injury > Updated: 2026-09-22T14:35:27.000Z. Sources: 31. Developments: 2. Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde suffered a grade 3 sprain in his left ankle during a derby match against Atlético Madrid following a challenge by Lee Kang-in. The incident has sparked controversy, as Real Madrid manager José Mourinho criticized the officiating, presenting images of the tackle to argue that it “warranted a red card” after the referee failed to issue a card to the South Korean player. Medical examinations confirmed the severity of the injury. While some reports suggest a recovery period of two to three weeks, potentially allowing a return in October, other assessments indicate the grade 3 sprain could sideline him for up to two or three months. The injury comes at a difficult time for Real Madrid, who recently lost the derby 2-1 and currently sit fourth in La Liga. As a result, Valverde has been ruled out of Uruguay’s upcoming international friendly matches against Japan, South Korea, and India. To fill the vacancy in the national squad, coach Diego Forlán has called up Emiliano Martínez from Palmeiras. Martínez has earned ten appearances for the national team across friendlies and World Cup Qualifiers. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-22: Federico Valverde ruled out of Uruguay squad due to injury Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde is out of upcoming friendlies due to an ankle injury. Palmeiras player Emiliano Martínez has been called up as his replacement for matches against Japan and South Korea. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/federico-valverde-ruled-out-of-uruguay-squad-due-to-injury ### 2026-09-20: Federico Valverde diagnosed with grade 3 ankle sprain Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde has suffered a grade 3 ankle sprain during the Madrid derby, sidelining him from upcoming Uruguay international fixtures. 26 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/real-madrid-suffer-derby-defeat-and-injury-blow-to-federico-valverde --- Cite as: Federico Valverde ankle injury. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/federico-valverde-ankle-injury