Real Madrid have been handed a double injury worry ahead of their Champions League clash with Liverpool next month, with two key players handing Xabi Alonso a scare on international duty
Real Madrid could be facing a significant player shortage when they go head-to-head with Liverpool in the Champions League next month. Xabi Alonso has been dealt a double injury worry during the international break, as Liverpool gear up to face Madrid on home turf on Tuesday, 4 November.
Franco Mastantuono, despite suffering a knock during the club's last La Liga match against Villarreal, still joined Argentina for international duty. However, the 18-year-old has now withdrawn from the national squad due to muscle fatigue.
Consequently, he will miss Argentina's next friendly against Puerto Rico on Wednesday, and will return to Madrid for further tests to assess the extent of his injury. In addition, Didier Deschamps confirmed that Kylian Mbappe will undergo an assessment following France's 3-0 victory over Azerbaijan in the World Cup qualifiers on Friday evening.
Like Mastantuono, Mbappe sustained a minor injury against Villarreal and was seen in discomfort late into France's match before being substituted by Florian Thauvin.
Adding to Real's woes, Antonio Rudiger and Ferland Mendy may also be absent from the clash with Liverpool next month, depending on their recovery from current injuries.
Rudiger is anticipated to be out of action with a hamstring injury until December after picking up the problem during training. Meanwhile, Mendy has been absent from the pitch under Alonso since the Club World Cup this summer, benched due to a reported thigh injury with no return date in sight, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Dean Huijsen, Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also currently nursing injuries, but all three are expected to be back in full form by the time Real Madrid take on Liverpool. Arne Slot has had his fair share of player injuries to deal with himself.
Alisson Becker might miss Liverpool's Champions League comeback due to a hamstring injury he picked up against Galatasaray and is expected to be out of action until mid-November.
Ibrahima Konate, who was substituted during the Chelsea match due to a quad issue, has since joined France for international duty, suggesting his injury isn't serious.
Giovanni Leoni, on the other hand, has undergone surgery for an ACL injury and will be out for most of the season. In another development, Wataru Endo missed international duty with Japan due to an unspecified injury.
It remains unclear how severe his condition is or whether he'll be fit to face Real.