No let up for Xabi Alonso: Real Madrid injury hell continues with up to 11 absences for Alaves | OneFootball

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is chronically short on good news currently, and Friday has brought with it further concerns at Valdebebas. Alonso’s future is on the line against Alaves at Mendizorrotza, but he will be forced to put out an unusual looking line-up.

Alonso is under significant pressure to provide both an improvement in play and wins for President Florentino Perez, and should he fail to do so, then he will likely be looking for a new position. After missing Kylian Mbappe for their loss to Manchester City, he could again miss out against Alaves.

Fresh absences and two possible returns

If Los Blancos do not get any players back from injury before their trip to face Alaves, Alonso will be without a total of eleven players through injury and suspension. The positive news is that after training on Friday as normal, Dean Huijsen is in line to return to the squad, say Diario AS. There is less certainty on Mbappe, who did not train on Friday, but will test his fitness in training on Saturday, as he recovers from muscle fatigue.

Image via Getty Images

Antonio Rudiger unlikely to make trip

On the other hand, Antonio Rudiger, who did play 90 minutes against City, is unlikely to play. He was dealing with muscle discomfort before the Champions League clash, and pushed through the pain. Fede Valverde is in a similar position, but is expected to play in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Eduardo Camavinga is also likely to remain out of action, as he continues to nurse a sprained ankle suffered last week in Bilbao.

Guaranteed absences

What is certain is that Endrick Felipe, Fran Garcia and Alvaro Carreras will not be there due to suspension, after all three were sent off on Sunday against Celta Vigo. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy and Eder Militao are also out through injury.

Alonso’s options

Down to the bare bones, it makes it likely that Valverde starts at right-back, with Raul Asencio and Huijsen in central defence. Left-back is an unknown, and Alonso will likely have to turn to Castilla options Diego Aguado or Manu Serrano.