How Has Real Madrid’s Devastating Injury Crisis Impacted Xabi Alonso’s Troubled Start?

Real Madrid’s new project under Xabi Alonso is proving far more turbulent than anyone predicted. Just over six months into his tenure, the 44-year-old manager has faced multiple “finals” to save his job while choosing from a severely limited group of players due to a devastating injury crisis.

The numbers tell a stark story. For the Champions League loss against Manchester City last week, Alonso had eight first-team players unavailable. Against Alaves in La Liga on Sunday, when Rodrygo’s late winner gave temporary reprieve, nine were sidelined. For the Copa del Rey match against third-tier Talavera de la Reina, six key players remained out.

This sounds familiar to Real Madrid followers. Just over a year ago, reports detailed how Carlo Ancelotti’s team had suffered numerous injuries causing significant internal tensions. History appears to be repeating itself under Alonso, raising questions about whether the club’s approach to player fitness needs fundamental reform.

The Extent of the Injury Crisis

Real Madrid currently have six players out through injury, including nearly all of Xabi Alonso’s first-choice defense. Only 10 players across the entire squad have not missed a match due to injury this season. Even Jude Bellingham and Endrick have dealt with existing problems or relapses.

The defensive crisis has been particularly devastating. Eder Militao sustained a hamstring injury in the 2-0 home defeat by Celta Vigo, with Madrid fearing a three-to-four-month layoff. Club captain Dani Carvajal is not expected to play again this year after undergoing right knee surgery in October.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was expected out for two months with a left quad injury, while David Alaba has been sidelined with a muscular injury since October. Ferland Mendy is out with yet another muscle injury, continuing his pattern of recurring fitness problems. Eduardo Camavinga has not returned since suffering an ankle sprain.

How the Crisis Unfolded

The injury crisis began in November, when Real Madrid travelled to Olympiacos in the Champions League and narrowly escaped with a 4-3 victory using a makeshift defense.

Goalkeeper Andrii Lunin replaced the injured Thibaut Courtois. Alexander-Arnold and academy graduate Raul Asencio filled in for Carvajal and Militao. Starting left-back Alvaro Carreras moved to center-back to replace Antonio Rudiger, while Ferland Mendy returned after spending 214 days sidelined. Only Kylian Mbappe’s four-goal performance salvaged the result.

For the 2-1 defeat by Manchester City, Madrid were without both right-backs (Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold), their best center-back (Militao), €58 million summer signing Dean Huijsen, and star player Mbappe. The French forward made the squad but was unused due to a fractured finger plus muscular and knee discomfort. Mendy, Camavinga, and Alaba were also absent.

With Alonso fighting for his job at Alaves, he fielded a team without his two right-backs and any of his three left-backs. Mendy’s injury was compounded by red cards to Carreras and Fran Garcia in the previous loss. Madrid recovered Mbappe and Huijsen but still lacked Militao, Camavinga, and Alaba. Endrick was also missing through suspension, leading to 19-year-old Victor Valdepenas making his senior debut at left-back.

Impact on Results and Performances

Xabi Alonso and his staff publicly accept injuries as part of the game. They have been keen on rotating as much as possible from the outset, mirroring their approach at Bayer Leverkusen—although this strategy has not alleviated the situation at Real Madrid.

Coaching staff sources have identified Dean Huijsen as a particularly significant miss in terms of Madrid’s build-up play during the five matches he was sidelined through injury. The young defender’s ability to play out from the back and initiate attacks had become an important component of Alonso’s tactical approach.

The makeshift defense used against Olympiacos provides clear evidence of the crisis’s impact. Coaching sources argued that Madrid would not usually have conceded three goals to a Greek Super League side under normal circumstances. The lack of defensive cohesion and understanding among unfamiliar partners left gaps that better-organized opponents could easily exploit.

The struggle extends beyond individual matches. The constant rotation and lineup changes have prevented Alonso from establishing tactical patterns and team chemistry. Players are forced to adapt to new positions and unfamiliar partners, undermining the cohesive, systematic approach that made his Leverkusen side so effective.

Is There a Systemic Problem?

Real Madrid are no strangers to injury crises. In November 2024, the team under Ancelotti had suffered 25 separate injuries in just the first three months of that season, causing significant internal tensions.

Those reports highlighted how physical trainer Antonio Pintus had become divisive, with approaches considered old-fashioned. Pintus took on a new role as “performance manager” this season. Alonso has given priority to his trusted physical trainer Ismael Camenforte instead, who previously worked for Barcelona and with Alonso in Germany.

In August, changes were made in the medical department to avoid another crisis. Felipe Segura remained as head of medical services, with two assistants leaving and two arriving. However, these changes have not had the desired effect.

Training-ground sources point to the demanding calendar as the primary reason for injury problems. The Club World Cup in the United States only finished on July 9 with their 4-0 semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

This prevented adequate pre-season. They only played August friendlies against relegated La Liga side Leganes behind closed doors and against WSG Tirol in Austria—minimal preparation for the grueling campaign. The previous summer’s UEFA Super Cup in Warsaw also proved damaging, coinciding with international players returning from holidays.

January Transfer Window and Youth Opportunities

Despite the severity of the injury crisis, there were some positive signs before the Christmas break. Eduardo Camavinga, David Alaba, and Ferland Mendy all returned to training on Friday before the Sevilla match, offering hope that Real Madrid’s defensive crisis might ease slightly in the new year.

Regardless of these potential returns, Real Madrid are rarely active in January transfer windows. The last player they signed in that period was Brahim Diaz in January 2019, acquired from Manchester City as his contract was expiring and he was considered a market opportunity.

There is also the factor of no spaces being available in the current first-team squad under La Liga rules, although this could change if Endrick joins French side Lyon on loan until the end of the season, as expected.

The board do not believe there are top players available in January. They also believe that even if such players were available, their prices would be prohibitive. Senior sources have said there are solutions in case of emergency within Alonso’s squad and in the academy.

Victor Valdepenas’ debut against Alaves was the first academy promotion of Alonso’s tenure at Madrid. His performance proved convincing to those within the club, although there was some controversy after Alonso said that Alaves’ goal came from “his only mistake.”

Those at the academy had been disappointed by the lack of opportunity given to Madrid’s canteranos—youth-team players—so far this season. However, Alonso indicated in his pre-match press conference that there would be more chances given to them.

Center-back Joan Martinez (18), right-back David Jimenez (21), and midfielder Thiago Pitarch (18) are among those most likely to receive opportunities against lower-tier opposition like Talavera.

Real Madrid’s injury crisis has created an impossible situation for Xabi Alonso as he attempts to implement his tactical vision and save his job simultaneously. With nearly his entire first-choice defense sidelined, makeshift lineups struggling against inferior opposition, and limited reinforcements coming in January, the manager faces a daunting challenge.

Following the Sevilla victory, Alonso acknowledged the difficult circumstances: “We had to win because we were in a difficult situation with the injuries we had. We know we can do better and we want to do better. Today we had nine players out, I think, between injuries and suspensions.”

Player support has emerged as a crucial factor in Alonso’s survival. After the Manchester City defeat, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois declared: “We are with Xabi Alonso. We are 100 percent behind him.” Jude Bellingham echoed this sentiment, stating “The manager’s been great. I’ve personally got a great relationship with him, a lot of the lads do as well.”

The systemic nature of Madrid’s injury problems—stretching back through Ancelotti’s tenure and persisting despite changes in medical staff and physical trainers—suggests deeper issues with squad management, fixture scheduling, and recovery protocols that transcend any individual coach.

For Alonso, the cruel reality is that while injuries provide a reasonable explanation for poor results, they offer little protection from the sack at a club as demanding as Real Madrid. His ability to navigate this crisis while maintaining competitive results will likely determine whether he survives long enough to work with a fully fit squad.

As the January fixtures approach and the injury list shows little sign of reducing, Alonso must hope that his trusted academy products can step up, that key players return to fitness quickly, and that the makeshift solutions he’s been forced to deploy can hold together long enough for the tide to turn.

Read More: Bruno Fernandes Injury: Who Could Step Up at Man United During Captain’s Absence?

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