Xabi Alonso ‘Set’ to Welcome Back Key Player After Six-Month Injury Absence

Real Madrid have received a timely boost with El Clásico on the horizon.

Xabi Alonso is dealing with a defensive injury crisis early in his Real Madrid tenure. | Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images

Real Madrid are set to receive a timely injury boost after the October international break, with Ferland Mendy returning to partial training this week.

The French left back is yet to feature under new manager Xabi Alonso, having suffered a quadricep tear in Madrid’s Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona on April 26. Mendy subsequently underwent surgery and missed the final month of Carlo Ancelotti’s tenure.

Los Blancos were initially hopeful that Mendy would be out of action for three months, but it’s coming up to six months since the Frenchman last took to the field.

While Madrid and Mendy have been forced to be patient, The Athletic reported that the 30-year-old is closing in on his comeback. Their report states that Mendy’s workload on the training field will gradually be increased after the October break.

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Injuries a Constant in Mendy’s Career

Mendy (middle) was forced off at the start of the Copa del Rey final in April. | Fran Santiago/Getty Images

The addition of Benfica’s Álvaro Carreras in the summer has helped mitigate Mendy’s absence at the start of Alonso’s reign, with Carreras returning to the club after spending three years in their youth setup between 2017 and 2020. The Spaniard’s enjoyed an impressive start to the season, but Mendy, if he’s able to shake off his latest significant setback, likely competes for a starting role.

However, Mendy’s inability to stay fit has been a huge problem since he joined the club from Lyon in 2019. The left-back enjoyed stellar runs of form amid hugely successful periods when Ancelotti was at the helm, but he‘s also missed 112 games due to 17 different injuries, according to Transfermarkt.

Madrid’s gradual welcome back means Mendy is unlikely to be available for a few more weeks yet, with Carreras poised to remain the starter for upcoming games against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League and Barcelona in La Liga.

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