Carlo Ancelotti confirmed David Alaba could play in Real Madrid's clash with Las Palmas on Sunday, more than a year after sustaining a serious knee injury. (More Football News)
The Austria international has been sidelined since December 2023 after suffering an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) rupture in his left knee during a La Lig♔a game. The 32-year-old underwent more knee surgery in May 2024.
The🦋 centre♔-back has scored five goals and registered nine assists in 102 appearances for Madrid since joining in July 2021 from Bayern Munich.
"[Alaba] is fine. He played 40 minutes yesterday, with a good feeling. Obviously he needs a bit of rhythm; the knee respo꧃nds well," Ancelotti told reporters.
"He won't start🔴 tomorrow, but he can get some minutes."
Alaba's return to the squad will be a boost for Madrid, with their backline alrꦓeady𒁃 weakened by the absences of Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal, also due to ACL injuries.
While Alaba was included in the squad list, talisman Vinicius Junior was not due to suspensi𒈔on after receiving a red card in Madrid's 2-1 win at Valencia in their last league match.
Defending league champions Madrid are second with 43 points but, despite their position, Ancelotti has faced criticism after the 5-2 humiliation by rivals Barcelona in the Super🐠copa de Espana last week in Saudi Arabia.
The defeat in Jeddah was followed by a laboured extra-time win over Ceꦓlta Vigo on Thursday in their Copa del Rey round-of-16 clash, which led to boos from the fans at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Aಞncelotti said he still had the club's fullꦿ backing.
"This team is alive and will fight until the end. I'm not hurt by being questioned; it's part of my job. I feel just as supported b💖y the club as ever," the 65-year-old Italian co🐻ach said.
"If you think you know everything — which isn't 💙my case — you stop lea🃏rning and lose your edge. I need to improve in many areas. There are times when we don't play well, and that's on me.
"The match against Barcelona was my responsibility, and it's fair and justifi𝓰ed for the fans to criticise me, but the fans haven't forgotten what we have achieved."
Madrid drew their last meeting ✅with Las Palmas 1♚-1 in August; only three times before have Los Blancos dropped points in both meetings with Las Palmas in La Liga, and not since 2016-17 (D2).
However, Madrid have not lost any of their 35 h♚ome games against Las Palmas in La Liga (W30 D5), a record number of home matches without defeat by any team ag༺ainst an opponents in the competition's history.
