Real Madrid were back at Valdebebas on Thursday, kicking off preparations for Saturday night’s league clash against Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabéu (9:00 PM). The session brought a mix of optimism and
uncertainty for Xabi Alonso and his coaching staff as several injured players took encouraging steps forward, while others remain firmly on the sidelines.
The main positive from the day was the partial return of Eduardo Camavinga, Ferland Mendy, and David Alaba. All three players trained with the group for part of the session, an important milestone as they edge closer to full fitness. Their availability for the Sevilla match is not yet guaranteed, however, as the trio will be assessed again on Friday before a final decision is made on whether they can at least be included in the matchday squad.
The biggest concern remains Raúl Asencio. The young defender is still unable to train with the group after the fever that ruled him out of Wednesday’s Copa del Rey match in Talavera de la Reina. Asencio has not fully recovered, and there is growing doubt over whether he will even be able to train at Valdebebas on Friday. At this stage, his participation against Sevilla is in doubt.
Players who featured heavily in the Copa del Rey victory — a match that secured Real Madrid’s place in the round of 16 despite an underwhelming performance — were limited to gym work. Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde also trained indoors as part of a recovery-focused session. Crucially, the trip to El Prado did not produce any new injury setbacks, allowing Alonso to move forward without additional concerns.
There are already several confirmed absences for Saturday’s match. Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, and Trent Alexander-Arnold will all miss the Sevilla fixture as they continue the final stages of their respective recovery processes. Brahim Díaz is also unavailable, having joined Morocco’s national team ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations. Meanwhile, both Álvaro Carreras and Endrick will serve the second match of their suspensions and are therefore ruled out.
