Real Madrid captain Raul could have played his last match for the
club after he was ruled out of the rest of the season with an ankle
injury.
Raul was replaced soon after scoring Madrid's opening goal in
Saturday's 2-1 win over Real Zaragoza due to an ankle sprain, and
after undergoing tests on Monday it was confirmed he will be out
for a minimum of four weeks.
That would rule the 32-year-old out of Madrid final four
league games, with the Primera Division season ending on the
weekend of May 15/16.
It could also mean the veteran forward's final competitive
appearance for Madrid may have come in the win over Zaragoza with
speculation that he might leave the club this summer.
Raul has written his name into club folklore during 16
seasons at the Bernabeu since breaking onto the scene in the
1994/95 season, winning a host of trophies and smashing numerous
records.
Raul's latest milestone came against Zaragoza when his goal -
which was his 321st for the club and 228th in the league - moved
him up third in the all-time list of leading scorers in La Liga.
Only Telmo Zarra (251) and Hugo Sanchez (234) are ahead of
Raul in the scoring charts now.
It remains to be seen if Raul will get the chance to break
Zarra's record.
With Madrid having spent 250 million euros on new talent last
summer, Raul has found playing time limited this campaign and
although he insists he is not planning to retire at the end of the
season, his future may be away from the Bernabeu.
Spain's record goalscorer, whose contract with Madrid runs
out in 2011, was linked with a move to England last year, while
earlier this season reports suggested he could be on his way to New
York Red Bulls in the MLS.
Meanwhile, Madrid also look set to be without Holland
international Rafael van der Vaart for their season run-in.
Van der Vaart limped out of the Zaragoza game early on - to
be replaced by Raul - and his thigh problem will keep him sidelined
for at least three weeks, according to the medical bulletin from
Madrid.
Madrid are currently a point behind Barcelona at the top of
the Primera Division standings with matches against Osasuna, Real
Mallorca, Athletic Bilbao and Malaga to come.
