Madrid in crisis mode, Vini Jr and Bellingham out

Real Madrid will play against Leganés without Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham and David Alaba.

Just hours after the transfer window closed, Real Madrid’s upcoming plans have taken a backseat— now they’re dealing with a full-blown injury crisis.

David Alaba is set to miss two to three weeks after suffering a left adductor injury in training. The Austrian defender limped off the pitch yesterday with discomfort, and after undergoing medical tests this morning, the club has confirmed the worst.

That means no Copa del Rey clash against Leganés, no Madrid derby against Atlético, and no Champions League first-leg showdown with Manchester City. If he somehow makes it back for the return leg, it would take nothing short of a miracle.

And as if that weren’t bad enough, Antonio Rüdiger is also unavailable, while Éder Militão remains sidelined. Real Madrid’s backline is officially in crisis mode.

All eyes on Tchouaméni and Asensio

With the defence stretched thin, the pressure now falls squarely on Tchouaméni and Asencio as “Rambo” (Rüdiger) is in the treatment room with a hamstring injury. He’s expected to be out for at least two more weeks, making his return for the second leg against City at the Bernabéu highly unlikely.

Carlo Ancelotti had originally planned to ease Alaba back into the lineup, possibly giving him minutes against Leganés—a small test ahead of a much bigger one against Erling Haaland and Manchester City at the Etihad. Instead, Madrid now face five critical games without him. A major setback.

Vini Jr and Bellingham out - are they injured?

Adding to the concerns, both Vinícius Jr. and Jude Bellingham were absent from training and are likely to be rested in the Cup. On paper, it’s just a rest day. However, Ancelotti is expected to clarify their status in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Copa del Rey fixture.

But amid all the bad news, there is one bright spot: Eduardo Camavinga. His hamstring injury is nearly healed, and after starting training with the squad, he’s expected to be fit for Saturday’s derby. Whether he gets minutes against Leganés remains uncertain, but his return is a much-needed boost for Ancelotti’s depleted squad.

Jacobo Ramón is waiting in the wings. Since Vallejo simply has no chance of making it onto the field, it now now or never for the canterano to make the step up. Raúl’s leader of the B team has been training with the main squad and is looking to find himself a spot in the backline while the A-list players recover.

Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey quarter-final game against local rivals Leganés will take place at the Estadio Municipal Butarque on Wednesday 5 February at 3pm ET.