5 superstars who are injured at the moment (September 2021)

In recent years, several elite-level players have seen their promising careers dwindle due to long-term injuries. For instance, Ousmane Dembele was once touted as Neymar's replacement at Barcelona. At the time of writing, the 24-year-old Frenchman is sidelined with his 12th major injury in four years, rendering his €135m move a complete failure. Even so, certain resilient warriors have fought back from injuries to earn their place, at the second time of asking.

Players who have recently returned from a major injury

After being on the treatment table for the majority of the 2020-21 season, Liverpool stalwart Virgil van Dijk has successfully returned to the pitch this year. Goal-machine Erling Haaland and veteran Marco Reus are also expected to make a quick recovery after sustaining minor injuries in Borussia Dortmund's training sessions.

Barcelona wonderkind Ansu Fati also made a stunning return to Camp Nou recently, scoring his side's third goal against Levante. In his first appearance since November 2020, Fati was presented as Barcelona's new No.10, and the 18-year-old didn't disappoint.

While several notable footballers have been discharged from their hospital wards, fans eagerly await the return of certain players still on the treatment table. On that note, let's take a look at five superstars who are out with an injury at the moment:

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#5 Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)

Real Madrid's new No.18 will be hoping to return soon

Having spent last season out on loan at Tottenham, Gareth Bale experienced an underwhelming homecoming this year. The Welshman is currently sidelined due to an injury to his right hamstring that he suffered before Real Madrid's clash against Celta Vigo two weeks ago.

Bale reportedly suffered the said impairment in the last training session before the fourth La Liga match day. He was seen limping around with a bandage on his right thigh following the conclusion of the session.

The incident is yet another setback to Bale's deteriorating reputation at the Bernabeu. Due to his minimal involvement and output, his fabled no.11 jersey was handed over to Marco Asensio. With the 32-year-old fading star suffering from five separate injuries since the commencement of last season, Bale's spell with Los Blancos could end sooner rather than later.

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#4 Sergio Aguero (Barcelona)

Sergio Aguero is expected to return from injury next month

Barcelona undoubtedly have a much bigger injury crisis on their hands than their Clasico rivals. As many as seven registered members are suffering from various ailments in the Blaugrana camp. However, Sergio Aguero's untimely injury after his move to Camp Nou takes the cake in this department.

Manchester City's all-time top scorer famously abandoned Pep Guardiola's ship this year in an attempt to play alongside compatriot Lionel Messi. While La Pulga's shocking departure was definitely a blow for Aguero, his persistent injury record has restricted him from making his first-team debut for Barcelona.

In an official statement, the club announced that their latest superstar had acquired a tendon injury in his right calf. The subsequent recovery process has now taken more than a month and is still yet to reach its conclusive stage. Therefore, Barcelona fans will have to wait until at least mid-October to witness Aguero's exploits at Camp Nou.

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#3 Paulo Dybala (Juventus)

Dybala has the task of filling Ronaldo's boots

Paulo Dybala is easily one of the unluckiest footballers on the planet. Having been in and out of the Juventus team last season, Dybala had recently acquired the role of being his side's main man following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure. While an impressive start to the season signaled an upturn in the Argentine's fortunes, an unexpected injury has halted his progress once again.

With four goal involvements in the 2021-22 season, Dybala added to this tally with a stunning opener against Sampdoria on Sunday. However, the innovative forward had to exit the pitch in tears in the 21st minute after suffering a muscle injury mid-game.

While the duration and severity of his injury are yet to be authenticated, Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed that Dybala will miss Juventus' next two fixtures against Chelsea and Torino. At 27, the talented Argentine will have to make the most of the next few seasons to justify the initial potential he was associated with.

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#2 Sergio Ramos (PSG)

Ramos has yet to make his PSG debut

A notable entry in Paris Saint-Germain's latest set of recruits, Sergio Ramos is yet to make his debut for the French giants. Having contracted an injury to his left thigh at the end of July, Ramos has been absent from Mauricio Pochettino's recent team plans as a result.

Costing absolutely nothing, the signing of the 35-year-old centre-back was eyed as a steal from PSG, with the club suffering from constant defensive woes. Although Ramos was expected to make his first appearance after the international break in September, persistent fitness issues have prevented him from stepping on to the pitch.

In his last season at Real Madrid, the Spaniard consistently struggled with injuries, restricting him to just 21 appearances. Considering his relatively old age, Ramos' PSG career could end in flames if the legendary defender is unable to keep his fitness in check.

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#1 Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

Rashford has been out of football ever since Euros 2020 ended

Widely known and appreciated for his on-field as well as off-field heroics, Marcus Rashford is yet to make an appearance for the Red Devils this season. The English wonderkind had been experiencing physical distress in his shoulder since last season, but only decided to undergo surgery after the conclusion of Euro 2020.

Rashford has been on the treatment table ever since, missing out on Manchester United's interesting start to the 2021-22 campaign. The prolific attacker scored 21 times and laid out a further 15 assists last season as United finished second in the league.

While the 24-year-old wide-man has shown signs of completing his recovery with a recent social media post, Rashford is not expected to return until late October. With Rashford's imminent return, coupled with the surprise addition of Cristiano Ronaldo, United have an actual shot at troubling the teams at the top of the league this season.

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