After Real Betis in the opening round of the league, Real Madrid quickly received some bad news.
During an afternoon training session, Xabi Alonso injured his right foot. He was immediately sent to La Moraleja Hospital for an examination, and an MRI revealed a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. He would be out for at least three months.
This was absolutely bad news, especially with Atletico Madrid up next.
Xabi Alonso had undergone surgery for a pubic bone injury that summer, but he had recovered quickly. No one had expected him to get injured again so soon. It was truly unexpected, yet there was nothing they could do about it.
After all, he was already thirty-one. As he grew older, injuries were bound to come one after another.
Speaking of metatarsal fractures, this was exactly the same injury Marcelo had suffered while on National Team duty the previous season. Marcelo had spent more than three months recovering, and his form had been unstable after returning. As a result, everyone at Real Madrid felt sympathy and helplessness over Xabi Alonso's misfortune.
Fortunately, Real Madrid had signed Illarramendi that summer for the defensive-midfield position. Together with Modrić and Herrera, they still had ample depth there, so the impact would not be as severe as Marcelo's absence had been.
Even so, Xabi Alonso's absence would certainly affect Real Madrid.
The results of Xabi Alonso's examination came out that evening. Aside from a very small number of close friends, including Yang Yang, who learned about it that night, the other players did not hear the news from the coaching staff until the following morning. Yet Xabi Alonso still arrived at Valdebebas on crutches.
Just like Marcelo, his injured right foot was wrapped up tightly, but the Spanish defensive midfielder