Real Madrid in the crisis: Does Alaba come to save the royal?

Real Madrid in the crisis: Does Alaba come to save the royal?

In a dramatic defeat by Real Madrid against Athletic Bilbao on December 5, 2024, the team of coach Carlo Ancelotti had to take a bitter criticism again. The "royal", who suffer from injury problems and the constant Mbappé-Saga, lost the supplementary game 1: 2, which enlarges their gap to arch-rival FC Barcelona to four points. Kylian Mbappé, who missed the decisive penalty in the 69th minute, was again the focus of the event. Ancelotti emphasized that Mbappé "can do it better", while the player himself expressed his disappointment about the "bad result" and his penalty error via social media. After two missed penalty thrusts in a row, the Spanish press Real Madrid sees at the turning point when the newspaper Sport is the title: "Athletic buried Mbappé in La Catedral, Real Madrid gets going".

But there is hope for the "royal": The comeback by David Alaba, the Austrian defense professional, is imminent. A year after his cruciate ligament rupture, Ancelotti announced that Alaba will soon return and would be able to reinforce the team again. "Alaba is doing very well, he will return soon," said Ancelotti. The Austrian captain has already partially trained with the ball and the team. The returnee could be used in the remaining four games in December against Girona, Atalanta, Rayo Vallecano and Seville. The fans hope that his return will bring the necessary stability onto the defensive, while the team fights with the pressure not to behind the title opportunities. According to oe24.at , Madrid faces a critical phase in the season and the next games could be crucial for the further course. The tense situation in the team therefore remains unchanged, while the hope of Alaba's return appears as a ray of hope.