Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Austrian defender David Alaba will not be able to play until 2025 despite returning to training.
Alaba joined Real Madrid in 2021, and he has become an important player for the club. He played an important role for them, helping them to their La Liga and UEFA Champions League triumphs.
However, most of his time at the Santiago Bernabeu has been blighted by injuries. But it got to a head last year, when he sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury in November 2023. That injury has kept him out of action, as he has missed 59 games for club and country.
In his place, coach Ancelotti has had to make do with players like Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao, and Raul Asencio.
However, in a piece of good news for Real Madrid, Alaba returned to training earlier this week, and did some work with the first team. But surprisingly, coach Ancelotti, ahead of Real Madrid next game against Girona has confirmed that Alaba will not play a competitive game until next year.
“David Alaba is returning, it will take one month to have him in good shape to play. He will be ready in January,” Ancelotti said, per Fabrizio Romano.
Usually, players who just return from ACL injuries find it hard to return to their previous high performance levels. Hence, it may take some time before Alaba returns to the pitch for serious action.
The 32-year-old defender still has 18 years left on his current contract, and it is unlikely that Real Madrid will extend his deal.
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