Alonso’s Real Madrid Stretched Thin by Injury Woes

Real Madrid find themselves navigating one of the most turbulent spells in recent memory, with form faltering, injuries mounting, and pressure intensifying on head coach Xabi Alonso. Across all competitions, Los Blancos have managed just two victories from their last eight outings—an alarming return by their lofty standards. As whispers about Alonso’s job security grow louder, the club’s injury bulletin has delivered yet another sobering blow ahead of their upcoming La Liga fixture against Alavés.

According to reports, Real Madrid could be without as many as 12 first-team players for Saturday’s league match, a scenario that threatens to derail their title challenge at a critical juncture of the season. Most concerning among the absentees is Kylian Mbappé, whose availability remains in serious doubt.

The French forward experienced knee discomfort during last Sunday’s clash with Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabéu. Though the injury was not deemed severe at first, Mbappé was subsequently left on the bench for the entirety of Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League encounter against Manchester City. Compounding matters, the 25-year-old is also playing with a fractured finger, further limiting his match readiness. While Mbappé returned to training on Friday, sources suggest he will only travel to Vitoria if there is significant improvement in his condition—making his participation against Alavés unlikely.

Mbappé’s situation is part of a wider defensive and midfield crisis. Regular starters Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all expected to miss the match through injury. Meanwhile, Álvaro Carreras and Fran García are sidelined due to suspension, leaving Alonso without a single recognised senior full-back. As a result, the coach may be forced to turn to the academy, with 19-year-old Víctor Valdepeñas reportedly under consideration for a surprise call-up.

Further uncertainty surrounds Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, Antonio Rüdiger, and Dean Huijsen, all of whom are being monitored closely ahead of kick-off. Their fitness will be assessed at the eleventh hour, but optimism remains limited.

Potential Absentees vs Alavés

Despite the mounting adversity, Real Madrid remain second in La Liga with 36 points from 16 matches, trailing leaders Barcelona, who sit atop the table with 40 points from the same number of games. However, with momentum slipping and squad depth stretched thin, the visit to Alavés may prove a defining moment—not only for Madrid’s title ambitions, but also for Alonso’s future at the helm.