Madrid’s Right-Back Crisis Heats Up Ahead of Clasico: Will Alonso’s Plan Hold?

Injury Update and Clasico Stakes

On Monday, a sports report revealed the latest on English international Trent Alexander-Arnold’s injury, a Real Madrid standout, after the eighth round of La Liga. Real Madrid had just sealed a narrow win over Villarreal the previous Saturday, a 3-1 result that helped them reclaim the league lead after Barcelona’s heavy defeat to Sevilla, a match that put pressure on the title race as Atlético Madrid loomed with a 5-2 win in week seven.

Madrid’s squad remains missing several players due to injuries, including Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rüdiger, Dani Carvajal, and Ferland Mendy. Alexander-Arnold has been sidelined for weeks with a muscle issue that kept him out of action since the opening Champions League night against Olympique de Marseille last month.

Fabrizio Romano, the well-known journalist, reported on Monday that Alexander-Arnold’s rehabilitation is progressing well, and the right-back appears confident about returning to Real Madrid after the current international break. Romano added that Arnold could be fully fit within about two weeks, with the aim of featuring in the Clasico against Barcelona.

Real Madrid will host their arch-rivals Barcelona on October 26 at the Santiago Bernabéu in La Liga’s tenth round, a match that now carries extra significance given the current injury situation and the chasing pack’s results.

Two Paths to Stabilize the Right-Back Situation

The persistent injury crisis to the right-back position has become a real headache for coach Xabi Alonso. The current issue mirrors past concerns under Carlo Ancelotti, and the shadow of these injuries has fallen on Alonso as he maps out a plan for a title-chasing calendar that includes a Clasico with Barcelona at the end of October.

With Carvajal sidelined by a muscular injury suffered in the Madrid derby with Atlético Madrid and potentially four weeks out, Alonso must explore temporary solutions at right-back. Young Raul Asensio and Federico Valverde, a versatile Uruguayan, have both been considered as stopgap options depending on who’s available and the opponents they face.

Asensio, a 22-year-old defender emerging from Real Madrid’s academy, has been trusted by the coach in domestic and European competition. In the Kazakhstani clash against Kairat Almaty, Asensio was deployed as a right-back and delivered a solid performance as Madrid cruised to a 5-0 victory. If he handles the role well in upcoming fixtures, he could be a credible temporary option for the Clasico—though the upcoming challenge is expected to intensify the test.

Valverde, the Uruguay international, has previously filled this position for brief periods and has shown readiness to adapt whenever necessary. He has publicly stated his willingness to play wherever the coach needs him, emphasizing his commitment to Real Madrid and his readiness to step up again if called upon. His quotes reflect a veteran’s mindset: seize the moment, embrace the challenge, and lead by example, even when the pitch feels like a chalkboard full of scribbles.

Alonso’s openness to experimenting with different lineups underscores Madrid’s strategic flexibility. The coming weeks will determine whether a short-term fix like Asensio or Valverde can bridge the gap until Arnold and Carvajal recover, or if a longer-term reconfiguration becomes necessary for pivotal league and European fixtures ahead.

Two options sit at the table: a winger-turned-fullback experiment in Asensio or a seasoned utility man like Valverde who can slide across multiple roles. Both come with risks and potential rewards, and the head coach has repeatedly stressed that every squad member must be ready to contribute when the club needs it most. As always in football, it’s a test of depth, discipline, and a dash of luck—preferably not in the same breath as a last-ditch clearance in stoppage time.

In addition to the tactical considerations, the club’s medical team will be monitoring Arnold’s return closely. If he comes back sooner than expected, Madrid’s balance could be restored ahead of the Clasico, easing Alonso’s defensive planning and allowing him to reinstate a familiar pattern once the line-up is fully healthy. But if Arnold’s return is delayed, the right-back riddle could determine whether Real Madrid keeps pace with Barcelona or permits the title race to widen further. And yes, pure football drama rarely disappoints, even when it comes with a weathered hamstring and a calendar full of big games.

Punchlines time: If this saga were a riddle, the answer would be “depth.” If depth had a shadow, it would be a substitute sprinting down the wing in a crucial moment. And if jokes were goals, even the physio would be celebrating a clean sheet.