A Possible Reason for David Alaba’s Poor Form at Real Madrid

Injury Struggles Impacting Alaba’s Return to Full Fitness

Real Madrid signed David Alaba from Bayern Munich on a free transfer in 2021. Since joining, Alaba has quickly become a key player for the team. In his debut season at Real Madrid, he played 46 matches, helping the club win both La Liga and the Champions League. In his second season, he again featured prominently, playing in 39 matches across all competitions.

However, in his third season, injuries began to have a severe impact on the Austrian’s playing time. His appearances dropped significantly, with him only featuring in 17 matches.

Alaba’s Recent Injury Woes and Impact on His Current Form

On December 18th, 2023, Alaba suffered a cruciate ligament tear that kept him sidelined for an extended period of 381 days. He returned to action on January 1st, 2025, only to be sidelined again for 15 days due to an adductor injury.

The Austrian defender is finally fit and ready to play regularly, but it seems that Carlo Ancelotti still has some concerns. In a recent interview, Ancelotti discussed Alaba’s fitness, stating: “Alaba is doing very well. He’s played for Austria. Putting him in two games every three days can be a risk. Tomorrow he has more chances. Those who didn’t start against Leganes have more chances for tomorrow’s eleven.”

After a major injury like an ACL tear, every player needs time to regain their best form, and Alaba is no different. Playing frequently in back-to-back matches at this moment could risk further injury, something the club will want to avoid at all costs, especially given the current shortage of defenders.

To make matters worse, Alaba’s most recent appearance for Real Madrid came in a 4-4 draw with Real Sociedad, where he was widely considered the worst player on the pitch for Los Blancos.

Despite the setbacks due to injury, Alaba is expected to perform much better than he did on that Tuesday night. With time, his form should improve, but Real Madrid will need him back at his best before the end of the season if they hope to secure all possible trophies.