Woodgate on easy list until Christmas with thigh injury

Real Madrid's Jonathan Woodgate is unlikely to be fit before Christmas according to the club doctor, Alfonso del Correl.

Real Madrid's Jonathan Woodgate is unlikely to be fit before Christmas according to the club doctor, Alfonso del Correl.

Woodgate's troublesome thigh injury has now been examined at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in the United States, and a specialist, John Bergfeld, told club doctors the England defender would not need surgery. However, he will be out for around 10 weeks, meaning that a debut for Real Madrid before the Christmas break is unlikely.

"These 10 weeks are the time we estimate will be necessary to guarantee proper healing of the scar in the injury," Del Correl said.

Woodgate was due to complete his recovery from a torn thigh muscle tonight in a friendly Madrid had specially arranged to test his fitness, but a sprint along the touchline in training last Thursday saw him pull up short and limp off.

Woodgate has re-opened the tear in the muscle which had taken so long to heal, starting the alarm bells ringing in the club which spent £14m to bring him to Spain this summer.

Before flying to America Woodgate had expressed his desire to succeed at Real. "If I can say one thing, it is that I will do all I can if it is going to help me get better and play again as soon as possible," Woodgate said. "I want to succeed at Real Madrid, it is my obsession."