Real Madrid have received two huge injury boosts ahead of their Champions League playoff second leg with Manchester City, as David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger both trained on Monday.
Carlo Ancelotti's holders returned to the Bernabeu on the back of an engrossing 3-2 success over the Premier League champions in the first leg, where Jude Bellingham bagged a last-gasp winner after Erling Haaland put the Citizens ahead twice.
Los Blancos came away from the Etihad with all of the spoils despite being without no fewer than five defenders, as Alaba and Rudiger missed out alongside Lucas Vazquez, Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao.
Ancelotti was therefore forced to deploy the young Raul Asencio and makeshift centre-back Aurelien Tchouameni in defence, where Federico Valverde also operated on the right-hand side.
However, both Alaba and Rudiger were spotted in team training at Real Madrid's headquarters on Monday, suggesting that both men will be given the green light to make the squad in midweek.
Could Alaba or Rudiger start against Man City?
Thirty-one-year-old Rudiger has sat out Real Madrid's last four matches with the muscular injury he suffered at the start of February, while Alaba has played just four times this season, having hurt his groin after making his comeback from an ACL problem.
The Austrian's lack of minutes over the past 18 months makes it difficult to envisage him making the first XI on Wednesday, but Rudiger should be in with a chance of starting the second leg.
The former Chelsea man could therefore renew a fascinating on-field rivalry with Haaland, whom he memorably got the better of in the first leg of the 2022-23 semi-finals and in last year's quarters.
Without Rudiger's presence in the first leg, Real Madrid shipped two to Haaland, who needs just one goal on Wednesday to become both the youngest and fastest player to score 50 in the Champions League.
However, both Carvajal and Militao remain out for the long-term with serious knee injuries, while Vazquez is not quite ready to return from his hamstring issue and trained individually on Monday.
Los Blancos also announced that Valverde stayed inside the facilities on Monday, but he is only said to be suffering from minor discomfort and should be fine to reprise his right-back role on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, fringe defender Jesus Vallejo is also nursing a muscular issue and could miss out entirely, but the 28-year-old is not part of Ancelotti's plans anyway.
How is Man City's squad shaping up for Real Madrid?
Injury was added to insult for Man City in the first leg last week, as Jack Grealish and Manuel Akanji were both taken off injured; the latter is now set to miss around two months with a serious thigh problem.
However, Grealish's groin concern might settle down in time for the second leg, where Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake could also return from the muscular issues that kept them out of the Premier League win over Newcastle United at the weekend.
Rodri is still out for the long-term as he recovers from an ACL injury, though, while Oscar Bobb is still building up his fitness after a broken leg. body check tags ::
