An opener with key absences

On Tuesday, August 19 at 9:00 p.m. local time, Real Madrid begins a new league season at the Santiago Bernabéu. The rival will be Osasuna, a team that always makes things difficult in Chamartín, but the spotlight is on the home bench: Xabi Alonso will not be able to count on five key players in his LaLiga debut as coach.

The list of absences is heavy and paints a scenario full of doubts for the first official match of the campaign. Between injuries and suspensions, Madrid faces its opener with limitations that could test the squad’s depth from the very first minute of the season.

Injuries that worry

The first four absences have big names: Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Ferland Mendy, and Endrick. All of them are in the medical room and, most concerning, their returns will not be immediate. These are long-term injuries that will keep them out not only against Osasuna but also for several more matches.

The only one who could return relatively soon is Camavinga, although it seems unlikely before the international break. In Bellingham’s case, the situation is more delicate: his recovery is progressing cautiously, and the club does not want to risk one of its biggest stars. Meanwhile, Mendy and Endrick continue their recovery work without a clear return date.

The Rüdiger case

To these medical setbacks we must add Antonio Rüdiger, but for a different reason. The German defender must serve his final game of suspension following the controversial Copa del Rey final. In that match, from the bench, he threw an object at the referee and was handed a six-match ban. He served five in last season’s LaLiga, but the sixth carries over to this opener.

A challenge for Xabi Alonso

With so many absences, Xabi Alonso will have to reinvent his starting XI in his league debut at the Bernabéu. What was expected to be a festive start for the new coach is now clouded by uncertainty, though it also opens the door for new protagonists to step up in a season that is just beginning.