Real Madrid key defender blames Xabi Alonso for injury-riddled season – report | OneFootball

Real Madrid key defender Eder Militao’s season came to an end a month ago, after yet another injury blow, marking what has become his third consecutive year to forget.

Across the 179 matches Real Madrid have played over the past three seasons, the Brazilian defender appeared in only 52 of them – an alarming participation rate of just 29%.

Militao points fingers at Xabi Alonso

After suffering two serious knee injuries that effectively destroyed Militao’s 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons, the ongoing campaign was instead ruined by two significant muscular injuries.

And, according to MARCA, the defender believes that former manager Xabi Alonso’s handling of his return may have played a role in his injury woes this season.

Militao believes Alonso could have managed his return more carefully. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Militao has questioned the management of his comeback at the beginning of the season, especially considering that he had barely competed over the previous two years. He believes that this process could have contributed to his two recent muscular injuries.

The defender feels that he played too many matches and accumulated too many minutes too quickly, especially considering where he was coming from physically.

This issue was made worse by Real Madrid’s limited pre-season preparations, something that particularly affected Militao. He was perhaps the player who most needed those summer preparations and gradual conditioning, but never really got them.

Instead, he returned and immediately began competing as if nothing had happened. He played in 16 of Real Madrid’s first 20 matches before suffering his first serious injury on December 7.

Militao underwent surgery last month. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Shortly after returning following four months out, another major setback struck in April, ending both his season and his World Cup hopes.

A major blow for Real Madrid

Militao’s situation creates a problem that extends beyond simply losing the leader of Real Madrid’s defence. His latest injury also disrupted a large part of the club’s sporting planning.

Almost simultaneously with confirmation of the severity of his physical setback, Real Madrid tore up their defensive plans for the future.

The Spanish giants understand that there is a “before and after” when it comes to Militao’s injuries and that this forces them to rethink their short-term plans for central defence, a position that once again appears fragile.