Antonio Rudiger’s injury has turned into a major setback for Carlo Ancelotti and his plans for the upcoming matches.
Now, with Rudiger sidelined, David Alaba finds himself as the available as well as fit centre-back for first-team selection.
He will be accompanied by youth-team player Raul Asencio, who made his debut this season and will likely step up to fill the void left by the German defender. Then there is Aurelien Tchouameni too.
The situation with Alaba is particularly challenging. The Austrian international has only just recovered from an injury that kept him off the field for over a year.
He made his return on January 19, playing against Las Palmas. Since then, he has only accumulated 70 minutes of playing time across four games, which means he has not yet played a full match since his return.
This lack of match fitness puts the Austrian at a disadvantage, and it is far from ideal for Real Madrid, especially with two high-stakes games against Atletico Madrid and Manchester City on the horizon.
Before Rudiger’s injury, Ancelotti’s plan was to ease Alaba back into the starting lineup, allowing him to regain full fitness gradually. However, with Rudiger now out of the picture, Alaba’s role in the upcoming fixtures has become more urgent.
Real Madrid cannot afford to take chances, and the Austrian may have to play a crucial part in the team despite not being at full match sharpness.
The upcoming game against Leganes will serve as a test for Alaba, offering him a chance to prove that he is ready to start and contribute meaningfully.
Ancelotti will be closely watching how Alaba performs in this match, especially with the vital encounters against Atletico and City in mind.