On Monday night, Real Madrid will face Getafe at the Santiago Bernabeu, aiming to keep pace with league leaders FC Barcelona.
However, ahead of the match against José Bordalás’s team, manager Álvaro Arbeloa is contending with some fitness challenges, particularly in the center-back position.
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Five Defenders Unavailable
According to MARCA, Real Madrid is missing five defenders—three from the first team and two from Castilla. This has forced the head coach to stretch his resources thin as he seeks to reclaim the top spot in La Liga.
Eder Militao has been sidelined for two months, Dean Huijsen is grappling with ongoing calf issues, and Raul Asencio was added to the injury list this week after a collision with Eduardo Camavinga during the Benfica match resulted in a cervical sprain.
Although Huijsen participated in part of today’s training, his chances of being fit for the match against Getafe are currently ruled out.
The only fit center-backs for Real Madrid. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)
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While the first team is stretched thin, the academy has not provided the expected depth. Two key prospects from Castilla who could fill the void are also injured.
Victor Valdepeas, who has already made his La Liga debut, is out with a grade two knee sprain that will sideline him for approximately five weeks. Meanwhile, Joan Martinez is dealing with a minor psoas tear, with an estimated recovery time of three weeks.
This leaves Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba as the only available center-back pairing. Although they boast a notable track record, they have not started together since March 1 of last year, when Real Madrid fell to Real Betis.
A potential solution could be shifting Aurelien Tchouameni to center-back, despite his crucial role in midfield during recent matches.
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If Arbeloa decides to reposition Tchouameni, it would create a hole in midfield that might be filled by Thiago Pitarch, one of the academy players who has impressed in his limited first-team appearances and is eager for a starting opportunity.