Bernabéu Blues: Madrid's Injury Headache Continues as Betis Visit
Real Madrid face another injury crisis ahead of Betis clash with Mbappé, Militão and more sidelined. Xabi Alonso hopeful of quick returns while Pellegrini deals with AFCON absences.
Injury troubles continue to plague Real Madrid as they return to action against Real Betis, with the treatment room busier than a London pub at happy hour.
Madrid’s Medical Mayhem
The champions’ medical staff are earning their corn once again with a growing list of absentees. Kylian Mbappé leads the casualty list alongside Éder Militão, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Brahim Díaz. Dean Huijsen is the latest concern, missing training with discomfort that leaves him as a late fitness test ahead of the Betis clash.
Dani Carvajal provides a rare bit of positive news, having trained normally in recent sessions and awaiting final clearance to return to competitive action.
Xabi Alonso hasn’t ruled Mbappé out of the upcoming Supercopa de España, saying: “We’ll push the timeframes. It’s very much about sensations and we’ll do everything possible.”
Betis Missing Their Main Man
Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis travel to Madrid with their own absence concerns. Their most notable missing player is former Madrid playmaker Isco Alarcón, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on Monday to address ankle problems stemming from a heavy challenge by Amrabat in early December.
The African Cup of Nations has also taken its toll on the Andalusian side with three key players unavailable:
- Moroccan duo Sofyan Amrabat and Abde Ezzalzouli
- Congolese striker Cédric Bakambu
There’s better news for Pellegrini with Brazilian winger Antony recovering from muscle fatigue that kept him out of early-week training. Diego Llorente and Junior Firpo are also back in contention after overcoming muscle problems that troubled them before the Christmas break.
Likely Starting XIs
Real Madrid (possible): Courtois; Valverde, Rüdiger, Asencio, Carreras; Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Güler; Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius
Real Betis (possible): Valles; Bellerín, Bartra, Natan, Valentín; Deossa, Marc Roca; Ruibal, Fornals, Antony; Cucho
With both sides dealing with absences but Madrid’s being particularly significant, this could be a proper test for the champions as they look to maintain their title charge. Betis always fancy their chances against the big boys, and with Madrid’s treatment room looking like the NHS on a Saturday night, Pellegrini might sense an opportunity to nick something at the Bernabéu.