Real Madrid were dealt yet another injury blow during their La Liga clash with Villarreal, David Alaba the latest casualty for the Spanish giants.
The 14-time European champions may have come away with a 4-1 win, but their squad has been worn thinner. Alaba joins an injury list that already contains the likes of Vinicius Junior, Eder Militao and Thibaut Courtois, with the Austrian defender set for a hefty spell on the sidelines.
Having been substituted just 35 minutes into the Villarreal victory, Real Madrid confirmed that Alaba had suffered a rupture in his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and would undergo surgery.
As a result, the 31-year-old will be missing for the rest of the season and his participation with Austria at Euro 2024 next summer is in doubt.
Bizarrely, this is the third ACL injury that Madrid have suffered this season, with Courtois and Militao also sidelined at the beginning of the campaign. While they are getting closer to a return, the duo won’t be fit until March or April next year.
With Militao and Alaba out for significant periods, Madrid find themselves short in the centre-back department, with only Antonio Rudiger and Nacho as orthodox senior options. Aurelien Tchouameni has featured there this season, but is more comfortable in his usual defensive midfield role.
Ancelotti is likely to explore his options in the transfer market in January, the veteran boss admitting that Madrid might have to sanction a move for a new centre-back.
“It’s a shame, we are very sad because another player goes down. I have never had three ACL injuries in just a few months.
“What the team has to do is hold on like we have done. We have done more than people expected. Despite the problems, this team endures. We will see in the next few days if something can be done [in the transfer market].”
Madrid are also without Vinicius, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Arda Guler and Eduardo Camavinga until 2024.
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