Real Madrid's return to the pitch has been hit by a major injury problem ahead of this weekend's trip to Real Sociedad.
Xabi Alonso has won three out of three in the first month of the La Liga campaign, however his options are now limited due to long-term injuries to Jude Bellingham, Ferland Mendy and Endrick Felipe.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, veteran centre-back Antonio Rudiger will now be out for around three months. Romano and several other outlets – including Marca – report that Rudiger has picked up a problem in training, and Alonso has decided to leave him out of the squad for the trip to San Sebastian.
The situation has evolved rapidly, with the club confirming a rectus femoris muscle injury in his left leg, which will keep him out until at least mid-December. With La Liga's winter break scheduled for the end of December, Rudiger could be out of danger and allowed to fully recover by the start of 2026.
His absence is another blow for Alonso, who has just had Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal recover from long road recoveries from ACL injuries.
Militao is expected to remain Dean Hujsen's centre-back partner, but the lack of cover is worrying, with uncertainty over what happens next with David Alaba, who is also on the road to a return.
Alonso has also suggested the idea of playing with three centre-backs, which would allow Carvajal to come in and move Trent Alexander-Arnold further forward.
Rudiger played 82 minutes in Germany's win over Northern Ireland in a 2026 World Cup qualifier and will miss the remaining four matches of this calendar year in October and November.
For Real Madrid, he is expected to miss the first six matches of the first phase of the UEFA Champions League until the end of December and potentially 14 La Liga matches./Express newspaper/
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