Casemiro is a force of nature

Casemiro is not only a key component of Real Madrid's side, he is also a player that is always available for Zinedine Zidane.

The Brazilian midfielder has not picked up an injury in the last two years, while he has not suffered a muscle injury in four years, despite regularly racking up the minutes for both Los Blancos and the Selecao. He is a force of nature.

Real Madrid have had a staggeringly high 19 players pick up knocks so far this season, yet Casemiro does not form part of this group. There is no obvious cover for him in the squad and he is one of the first names on the team sheet for Zidane, who always starts the 28-year-old.

Los Merengues have, to this point, played 21 games in all competitions and Casemiro has featured in 17, which is 81 percent of those available. Of the four he has missed, one was down to Zidane's decision, another was due to suspension, and the other two were after testing positive for COVID-19.

Last year was a similar story too, as Casemiro played 90 percent of Real Madrid's games, ending the campaign with a record of 46 appearances in 51 games. In fact, his first opportunity to rest did not come until December 15, when Los Blancos faced Valencia at Mestalla. Casemiro was a substitute and did not come on. Until then, he had played 21 games in a row in all competitions.

You have to go all the way back to November 11, 2018, to find Casemiro's last injury, and the only one in the last four seasons. He suffered a sprained right ankle and was out for 37 days. Even so, in the 2018/19 season, he still managed to play in 75 percent of Real Madrid's matches, with 43 appearances from a possible 57. The season prior, 2017/18, was similar as he played in 77 percent of the matches, with 48 appearances from a possible 62.