David Alaba has suffered a calf injury, Real Madrid confirmed on Friday, in the latest injury setback for the veteran defender.
Centre-back Alaba, 33, has not featured in any of Madrid’s three games so far at the Club World Cup, as he recovers from a meniscus injury in his left knee suffered in April.
Alaba’s latest setback is expected to rule him out of the tournament, with Madrid set to play Juventus in the round of 16 in Miami, Florida on Tuesday, with a possible quarterfinal on July 5, a semifinal on July 9, and the final on July 13.
“David is taking a bit longer [to recover],” coach Xabi Alonso said on Thursday. “After the [meniscus] operation we need to be cautious and patient, so step by step, we’ll wait a bit longer.”
Madrid have been without a number of key players for the Club World Cup so far.
Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão and Eduardo Camavinga have been working their way back to full fitness at the team’s base in Palm Beach, while Ferland Mendy and Endrick have been recovering in Madrid.
“Ferland is still a long way from being on the pitch,” Alonso said this week. “Eduardo is taking great steps forward in his recovery, hopefully we’ll have him back — I don’t know in the next game, or if we go further.”
Endrick is to join up with his teammates in the coming days, although it is not yet clear if he will play a role on the pitch at the Club World Cup.
“Endrick is recovering, and we want him available as soon as possible,” Alonso said on Thursday. “I’m counting on him, for sure.”
In the Brazil international’s absence — coupled with Kylian Mbappé‘s illness — Gonzalo García, 21, has stepped in, scoring two goals in three group games in the United States, including in Thursday’s 3-0 win over Salzburg in Philadelphia.