Real Madrid will be without one of their key players for Saturday’s La Liga match against Deportivo Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The club confirmed on Friday that defender David Alaba has been definitively ruled out of the fixture. The Austrian international suffered a serious knee injury during the team’s 4-1 victory over Villarreal on December 17, 2023, which required surgical intervention.
Following the operation, medical assessments determined that Alaba would miss the remainder of the 2023-2024 season. His recovery timeline extends into the next campaign, with a return to action not expected until well into the 2024-2025 season.
This long-term absence is a significant blow for Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Alaba’s experience and versatility, being capable of playing at center-back or left-back, will be missed as the team competes on multiple fronts.
His injury is part of a defensive crisis for Los Blancos, who are also without fellow center-back Eder Militao. The Brazilian sustained a similar ACL injury in the very first match of the season against Athletic Club on August 12, 2023.
With both first-choice defenders sidelined, Ancelotti has been forced to rely on the partnership of Antonio Rudiger and Nacho Fernandez in the heart of the defense. This duo is now expected to start once again when Alaves visit the capital this weekend.
