Real Madrid star David Alaba suffered a dreadful injury last January, when he went down with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, ruling him out of the Euros. That will seem a lifetime ago for many, yet he is still some way off recovering.
Despite initial diagnoses setting Alaba up for a return in October or November, Marca say that while his rehabilitation is going well, the injury is proving more difficult to overcome than would have been hoped, and the process is going slowly. The 32-year-old is yet to touch the ball, eight months on.
Los Blancos appear to be forging ahead without signing a central defender, despite Alaba’s injury, Nacho Fernandez’s exit, and their pursuit of Leny Yoro. That paid dividends last year, but Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has asked for reinforcements. Part of that decision likely hinges on Alaba’s recovery, but there has been no sign of movement yet.
