Xabi Alonso Given Another Real Madrid Injury Headache Hours Before Girona Clash

Real Madrid center back Raúl Asencio did not make the trip to Girona due to illness, leaving Xabi Alonso undermanned in defense once again.

The 22-year-old, who is suffering from gastroenteritis, was ruled out for Los Blancos’ clash with Girona on Sunday evening. Asencio missed training in the buildup to the La Liga match and did not recover in time to make Alonso’s squad.

The Spaniard made three consecutive starts for Real Madrid amid the club’s defensive fitness woes, filling in for the injured Éder Militão. Asencio provided stability to a backline also without Antonio Rüdiger, Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen and David Alaba.

Raúl Asencio has endured a mixed run of form for Real Madrid. / Angel Martinez/Getty Images

Although Alonso will miss the Real Madrid Castilla product on Sunday evening, he will be thankful Asencio is just battling illness, much like Thibaut Courtois midweek; the goalkeeper missed out on Los Blancos’ 4–3 victory over Olympiacos due to a gastrointestinal viral infection, but is in line to start against Girona.

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Antonio Rüdiger (left) and Éder Militão are back available for Real Madrid. / Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images

Despite losing Asencio for Sunday’s match, Alonso welcomed back two familiar faces to his squad: Militão and Rüdiger. The veteran center backs both made the trip to Girona and are available for selection.

Militão returns from an adductor muscle injury he suffered while representing Brazil during the November international break. The 27-year-old is in line to log his first minutes in white since Real Madrid’s 2–2 draw with Elche on Sunday, Nov. 9.

Rüdiger, meanwhile, is back from a nearly three-month layoff. The German international, who sustained a hamstring injury during the September international window, has only featured once this season for Los Blancos.

Along with the two defensive injury boosts, Franco Mastantuono is also in Alonso’s squad for the first time since Saturday, Nov. 1. The Argentine recovered from his groin injury and traveled with the team to the Estadi Montilivi.

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