Real Madrid face fresh injury headache before match - Courtois, Alaba, Carvajal, Huijsen absent from final session

On the eve of the game, Real Madrid completed their final session without Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba, Dani Carvajal and the much-discussed Huijsen note, highlighting a stretched back line. From a rival’s lens, this is the worst timing for Madrid. Their defensive rotations were already thin, and now the leaders in goal and at fullback are off the grass. Expect Lucas Vazquez or a makeshift option at right back, and a heavier load on Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao and Leny Yoro. Madrid must improvise on set pieces and in buildup, and opponents will press that weakness early.

In Madrid’s final pre-match workout at Valdebebas, multiple senior defenders and the first-choice goalkeeper did not take part. The absences leave the coaching staff balancing minutes for center backs and fullbacks while considering Castilla reinforcements. The timing - immediately before travel and tactical walkthroughs - forces late adjustments to rest defense and build-up patterns. Around the squad, the discussion focused on who fills right back, whether a hybrid back three appears, and which academy names could be accelerated for bench roles. The mood outside the camp was edgy as supporters debated depth and durability.

Final training session ahead of tomorrow's game: ❌️ Courtois ❌️ Alaba ❌️ Carvajal ❌️ Huijsen

@MadridXtra

Impact Analysis

From where I sit - a retired pro who has seen title races swing on weeks like this - Madrid’s structure gets hit in three key phases. First, rest defense. Without Carvajal, they lose a reliable stopper for weak-side switches and late far-post runs. Lucas Vazquez competes, but opponents will target his zone with overloads. Second, starting play. Courtois’ calm distribution under pressure is underrated. If Andriy Lunin starts, he is solid, but his pass selection is more conservative, which can pin Madrid deeper and invite pressure.

Third, leadership in the line. With Alaba out, Rudiger carries organization while also being the primary duelist. That strain adds up over 90 minutes. Leny Yoro has elite tools, but when the communication triangle changes late in the week, small gaps appear - on set-piece blocks, on step-or-drop decisions, on who tracks the second runner. I expect opponents to test the near-post flick zone on corners and hammer diagonal switches to isolate Madrid’s makeshift right side.

Add the uncertainty around the Huijsen note - even the hint of scrambling depth tells you the bench mix is thin. If Madrid chase the game, transitions back will be slower. That is where a rival turns the screw.

Reaction

The replies mirror what I used to hear outside stadium gates. Some fans begged for academy promotions - names like Joan Martinez popped up, with pleas to throw youth straight into center back roles. Others asked the obvious: what defenders are even left, and how did this pile-up happen again. A few tried to stay upbeat, saying they’re excited for tomorrow regardless, but the dominant tone was frustration at a recurring pattern.

One thread focused on Huijsen - confusion over his mention and why his status was even part of the conversation if depth were truly stable. Another hammered the medical and conditioning setup, with posts claiming the injuries are getting out of hand. The recurring theme: Madrid’s defense never seems fully available, and supporters are tired of emergency lineups right before meaningful fixtures.

As someone who has walked into the Bernabeu when the hosts were short, I recognize that nervous energy. Fans know this team can win ugly, but when Courtois, Alaba and Carvajal disappear from the final session, it feels like the margin for error evaporates. Rivals can sense that from a mile away.

Social reactions

I hope Joan Martinez or Lamini Fati gets called up. Just use them at CB if they can travel. Alonso should give the big talents a chance...

MagicalModric (@MagicalModric00)

The team looks scanty

Kalvin of web3 (@kalvinweb3)

Is there a time we gonna have our actual full defence ?

I' Kmb (@mwaskB)

Prediction

Short term, Madrid will tape this together. Rudiger and Militao should anchor, Yoro rotates in, and Vazquez likely covers at right back. Expect a pragmatic plan: lower fullback heights, fewer risky inside passes, more direct switches to avoid mistakes in their own third. If they lead, they will slow the rhythm and drag attacks to the touchlines to protect central gaps.

Medium term, I foresee conservative timelines. Courtois may be managed week to week, but I doubt we see a full training rhythm soon. Alaba’s return, in my view, should be pushed far beyond optimistic estimates - closer to the long side to avoid re-injury. Carvajal’s muscle history suggests setbacks if rushed, so I would pencil him out longer than local reports will admit. As for the Huijsen chatter, I expect that to fade into a broader storyline about how thin Madrid feel at the fringes and whether Castilla can genuinely supply answers when the calendar gets heavy.

If you’re the opponent tomorrow, you press early, test the right channel relentlessly, and load the six-yard box on corners. If Madrid ride out the first half, they can still nick it, but momentum sits with whoever scores first. I’d bet rivals smell blood.

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Conclusion

I have lived this from the other side. When a giant shows up to the final session without its spine, you walk into the match believing. Madrid are still Madrid - elite talent, elite mentality - but football is about edges, and today the edges cut against them. No Courtois strips away calm under pressure. No Carvajal removes the old head who solves chaos on the flank. Without Alaba, your organizer in the backline is stuck multitasking, and communication gets noisy.

Could Rudiger, Militao and Yoro lock it down for 90 minutes? Absolutely. But you do not want to be rewriting the defensive script on the last day. I expect heavy minutes for Vazquez, more conservative fullback behavior, and a safety-first approach in buildup. If the first big moment falls to the opponent - a second phase from a set piece, a turnover in the half space - Madrid will wobble. And that is exactly where a rival should be ruthless.

Until the medical room clears, Madrid will be living on the edge. From a rival’s press box, that is the cue to apply pressure, stretch the pitch, and turn those absences into points.