Madrid back to work with Alexander-Arnold boost ahead of Benfica clash

Real Madrid wasted no time getting back to the grind after their tidy 2-0 away win at Villarreal, with some welcome faces making progress on the treatment table.

Recovery mode activated

Arbeloa’s men completed their final session of the week at Valdebebas with one eye firmly on Tuesday night’s clash against Benfica (21:00 local time). As you’d expect, the starting XI from the Cerámica Stadium victory were kept indoors for recovery work.

Injury updates looking promising

The big news coming out of Madrid’s training ground is that Trent Alexander-Arnold has partially rejoined group training. The English star is making positive progress but don’t expect to see him in action against Benfica – the medical staff are targeting the Rayo Vallecano match on Sunday, February 1st (14:00) for his potential return.

Meanwhile, Antonio Rüdiger was spotted on the grass continuing his own recovery process. The German defender appears to be edging closer to availability, providing a proper boost to Madrid’s defensive options.

Still sidelined

Not all news is rosy, mind. Ferland Mendy and Éder Militão remain the only confirmed absentees, though both are progressing through their respective recovery protocols.

With fixtures coming thick and fast, these potential returns couldn’t come at a better time for Los Blancos as they continue fighting on multiple fronts. Having Trent back in the mix would be right Bobby Dazzler for the squad depth.