Africa-Press – Lesotho. Real Madrid hasn’t even kicked off their La Liga season, yet Xabi Alonso is already facing a wave of setbacks. With a short preseason due to the Club World Cup, the team will play just one friendly — against Tirol in Austria — before their opener on August 19 against Osasuna.
Behind the scenes, contract negotiations with Vinicius Jr. remain unresolved, while departures like David Alaba’s loom. Despite expectations for a midfield reinforcement, Florentino Pérez seems content with the current squad, leaving Alonso with little margin for adjustments.
The real blow comes in midfield. Jude Bellingham, recovering from shoulder surgery, won’t be back until at least mid-October. This weekend, Eduardo Camavinga joined the injury list with an ankle sprain, ruling him out for the start of the season. Luka Modric’s exit has only deepened the gap in the middle of the park, forcing Alonso to rethink his plans before a ball has even been kicked in La Liga.
This isn’t a new story for Real Madrid — recurring injuries have often disrupted their campaigns. Alonso may now have to rely on Brahim Diaz or Dani Ceballos to step up and fill the void. The challenge is clear: patch together a competitive midfield from day one, or risk falling behind before the season truly begins.
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