Real Madrid forward Usman Garuba will undergo surgery in the coming days after suffering a complete rupture of the left Achilles tendon during the EuroLeague Final Four semifinal, the club confirmed on Monday.
The injury came in Real Madrid’s 105-90 win over Valencia Basket on Friday, a result that sent the Spanish club to the championship game in Athens.
Garuba went down early in the fourth quarter and had to be helped off the court. Two days later, he was seen arriving at Telekom Center Athens in a wheelchair before Real Madrid’s 92-85 loss to Olympiacos Piraeus in the final.
“Following tests carried out today on our player Usman Garuba by Real Madrid’s medical staff, he has been diagnosed with a complete rupture of the left Achilles tendon,” the club said in its statement. “Garuba will undergo surgery in the coming days.”
The injury is a major blow for Real Madrid, which relied on Garuba for energy, defense and physicality during a season that ended one game short of the EuroLeague title. In 35 EuroLeague appearances this season, the 24-year-old averaged 4.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 11.5 minutes per game while shooting 60.7% from the field.
Garuba’s value went beyond the box score. His size, mobility and ability to cover ground allowed Real Madrid to switch and recover on defense, and his role became even more important in a Final Four setting where possession-by-possession execution mattered.
Real Madrid finished the EuroLeague regular season 24-14 and entered the playoffs as one of the league’s most experienced teams. The club advanced through the bracket before losing to Olympiacos in the final, but the Achilles injury now shifts the focus to Garuba’s recovery rather than the title chase.
A torn Achilles tendon typically requires surgery followed by a long rehabilitation process, making availability for the start of next season uncertain. For a player whose game depends on movement, timing and burst, the recovery timeline will be one of the biggest storylines to follow around Real Madrid this summer.
Garuba’s absence will also force Real Madrid to reconsider its frontcourt depth after a season in which he provided important minutes in a supporting role. His return now becomes a long-term project, not just a medical update.
