Another injury setback for Real Madrid as Alaba tears ACL

Real Madrid center-back David Alaba has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture in his left knee, as confirmed by the football club. The injury occurred during Sunday’s match against Villarreal CF at the Estadio de la Cerámica stadium when Alaba fell in the latter part of the first half. Initial concerns about the severity of the injury were validated by post-game medical evaluations.

A Real Madrid spokesperson stated that Alaba is scheduled to undergo surgery in the coming days to address the ACL tear. This injury marks the third ACL injury for Los Blancos players during the 2023 season, following Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao. Manager Carlo Ancelotti faces a new challenge in managing the team amidst these setbacks.

In a post-game interview, Ancelotti expressed his disappointment, saying, “The medical report says that he has a cruciate injury. It’s a shame; we are very sad because another player goes down. I have never had three ACL injuries in just a few months.” The unexpected injuries have posed challenges for the team this season, but Ancelotti remains confident in the squad’s resilience.

While considering reinforcements in the January transfer window, Ancelotti currently suggests utilizing defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni as crisis coverage for the depleted backline. “Tchouameni is the first option for center-back,” stated the manager.

As the squad navigates through this challenging period, time will reveal the impact of the injury on Real Madrid’s performance throughout the remainder of the 2023/2024 football campaign.