Timely return: Alonso relieved as star player prepares for

Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has received a boost ahead of Sunday’s El Clasico against Barcelona.

Los Blancos go into the first Clasico two points ahead of their fierce rivals in the La Liga table, adding extra tension to the build-up to the gameweek 10 fixture.

A win over Hansi Flick’s men will see the capital club extend their lead to five points over the Blaugrana, and they have reason to be optimistic given their four-match winning streak at Santiago Bernabeu.

Fresh off a 1-0 victory over Juventus in the Champions League, Alonso’s team have now been strengthened by the sightings of several key players in training.

Real Madrid injury news: Key players may return before Clasico

The club confirmed that several players who were previously sidelined had completed full training on Friday, including Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Alexander-Arnold joined Real in the summer after leaving his boyhood club Liverpool but was soon hit with a disappointing setback in the form of a hamstring injury suffered against Marseille in mid-September.

Initially expected to miss the first Clasico of the season due to the muscle issue, the Englishman was then predicted to rejoin the squad for the visit of Barca as his recovery progressed swiftly.

As a result, news of the right-back completing Friday’s session should be welcome news for Alonso, who also received Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen and Dani Ceballos; however, Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba trained privately indoors, suggesting that Sunday may be too soon for both defenders.

Trent Alexander-Arnold: Should Alonso start right-back in Clasico?

While Alonso may be tempted to risk Alexander-Arnold for his sixth appearance for Real Madrid in the 2025-26 season and eighth overall, there might be prudence in starting the Englishman on the bench.

Given the risks of hamstring injuries, playing the ex-Liverpool player from the outset could lead to a recurrence and, consequently, a more prolonged spell on the sidelines.

The same applies to Carvajal, who has also missed a few matches since his last appearance in the 5-2 Madrid derby defeat by Atletico in September.

Thus, Federico Valverde may have to continue as a makeshift right-back, with the returning pair of Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold starting as substitutes in Sunday’s Clasico.

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