Real Madrid forward, Vinicius Junior has been ruled out for nearly a month due to a hamstring injury in his left leg, the club confirmed in a statement on Monday.

The injury, which was revealed following tests by the club’s medical team, means the Leaderboard Brazilian will miss vital fixtures, including the upcoming Champions League clash at Atalanta on December 10 and Wednesday’s match against Liverpool at Anfield.

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Vinicius, who played the full 90 minutes in Madrid’s 3-0 La Liga victory over Leganes on Sunday, had provided the assist for Kylian Mbappe’s opening goal.

He took to social media to express his frustration with the congested football schedule, writing, “The crazy calendar… now to recover.”

The injury comes at a time when Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has been outspoken about the strain of an increasingly packed football calendar.

Perez criticized both UEFA and FIFA for expanding their match schedules, with the Champions League now featuring eight group-stage games instead of six, along with an additional round that some teams may face if they finish outside the top eight.

Perez lamented the growing number of fixtures, saying, “This season we could play 82 matches—63 percent more matches organized by UEFA and FIFA, from 22 to 36.

There have already been nine cruciate ruptures this season in La Liga alone, the same number as all of last season. Specialists point to fatigue as the cause.”

Vinicius has been one of Real Madrid’s standout players this season, shining alongside summer arrival Mbappe.

The forward has scored four goals in the Champions League and eight in La Liga, making him a key contributor to the team’s attack.

However, Madrid’s European campaign has been underwhelming, with two losses in their first four group-stage matches, including a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan, leaving them 18th in the expanded group table.

Meanwhile, Liverpool, managed by new coach Arne Slot, leads both the Premier League and the Champions League group stage, further intensifying the pressure on Madrid.

Leicester City have announced the immediate dismissal of Steve Cooper as the club’s manager, following their 2-1 loss to Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.

The club confirmed the decision in a statement published on its official website on Sunday, titled “Leicester City Part Company With Steve Cooper.”

In the statement, the Leicester City board acknowledged Cooper’s efforts but cited the need for a change in leadership.

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“The Board recognizes the hard work and commitment Steve Cooper has shown during his tenure but believes now is the right time for a new direction,” the statement read.

The defeat to Chelsea at the King Power Stadium capped a string of underwhelming performances that have left the Foxes struggling in the league.

Bayern Munich’s star striker, Harry Kane, has firmly responded to recent criticism by delivering a stunning performance on the pitch, setting a new Bundesliga record for the fastest player to reach 50 goals.

Kane’s second-half hat-trick in Bayern’s 3-0 home victory over Augsburg on Friday not only propelled the team eight points clear at the top of the table but also saw him hit the milestone in just 43 games, surpassing Erling Haaland’s previous record of 50 goals in 50 matches.

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The England captain’s clinical display included two penalty goals, extending his remarkable streak to 25 consecutive penalties scored for both club and country since his last miss against France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals.

This hat-trick marked Kane’s seventh in the Bundesliga since joining Bayern in the summer of 2023.

The 31-year-old’s hat-trick comes after he faced criticism during the international break, with some suggesting he should make way for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

Addressing the doubters, Kane stated, “I’m used to that now,” acknowledging that the pressure of being a top striker is part of the territory. “I’m experienced enough to know that comes with being one of the top players, one of the top strikers.”

Despite the criticism, Kane feels he is in the best form of his career. “All I can do is do my talking on the pitch, like I did tonight,” he said, reinforcing his focus on letting his performances speak for themselves.

Kane also mentioned he has yet to speak with incoming England manager Thomas Tuchel, who also resides in Munich, but anticipates a conversation about his experiences and how the team can improve under the new coach.

“I’m sure we’ll have a conversation on the experiences I’ve had, the good and bad things, and what we can improve,” he added.