Real Madrid have been dealt another blow ahead of this weekend’s El Clásico after David Alaba sustained a calf injury that will rule him out of the meeting with Barcelona.
The Austrian defender was substituted at half-time in Madrid’s 1–0 win over Getafe, with head coach Xabi Alonso initially playing down concerns.
Alonso described Alaba’s withdrawal as precautionary, explaining that his calf had become “stiff.”
However, the situation has since worsened. After missing team training and sitting out the friendly against Juventus, Alaba’s recovery has not gone as planned.
Reports in Spain suggest he will be sidelined for at least a week, leaving Real Madrid short of options at the back.
It is another setback for a player who has endured a difficult run with injuries. Alaba has struggled for consistency since rupturing his ACL in December 2023, an injury that kept him out for more than a year. He also missed the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this year and only recently began to regain match rhythm.
With Antonio Rüdiger and Dean Huijsen also unavailable, Alonso is left with only Éder Militão and Raúl Asencio as fit central defenders. Huijsen faces a late fitness test but has not featured for more than three weeks, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal remain in a race against time to recover from muscle problems.
Alonso’s selection dilemma comes at a critical moment. Madrid host Barcelona in a fixture that could shape the title race, yet their defensive line looks fragile. The manager may be forced to improvise if any further setbacks occur in training.
For Alaba, it marks another frustrating pause in a stop-start spell at the Bernabéu. For Alonso, it is a fresh challenge in his most important week yet as Real Madrid manager.
