Injuries just won’t leave this Real Madrid defender alone.
Despite playing three matches in the Club World Cup, David Alaba hasn’t appeared in any of them—and unless something dramatic happens, that won’t change. The 33-year-old defender is sidelined again due to injury.
Alaba had been recovering from a knee injury he suffered last April, but Real Madrid announced on Friday that he is now dealing with a foot injury.
Coach Xabi Alonso had already hinted at this on Thursday:
“David’s recovery is taking a bit longer than expected. After his knee surgery, we want to proceed with extra caution and patience. We want to take it step by step and allow more time.”
Real Madrid will face Juventus in the round of 16 on Tuesday in the Club World Cup. If they progress, the quarterfinals are scheduled for July 5, semifinals on July 9, and the final on July 13.
Besides Alaba, the team is also missing several other key players for this tournament. Defenders Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão have been out for a long time, while midfielder Eduardo Camavinga is fighting to return. All three are currently with the squad in the US.
However, forward Rodrygo and defender Ferland Mendy could not travel with the team due to injuries. Coach Alonso shared some updates on their progress:
“Ferland is still quite far from returning. Eduardo is making great progress, and hopefully, we’ll see him back soon… though I don’t know if it will be for the next match or sometime after.”
“Rodrygo is recovering quickly, and we definitely want to have him back as soon as possible. We are counting on him.”
Kylian Mbappé was also unable to play any Club World Cup matches due to illness but is expected to feature in the upcoming game. In Mbappé and Rodrygo’s absence, young Gonzalo García has caught attention with two goals and one assist across the group stage matches.
