When David Alaba left Bayern Munich for Real Madrid in the summer of 2021, he never could have imagined what awaited him at the Spanish capital. In his very first season at Los Blancos, the Austrian won the Champions League, which included now-iconic photos of him celebrating with a chair. Since then, however, Alaba’s Madrid dream has become a bit of a nightmare.
The Austrian suffered an ACL injury at the beginning of December last year. Back then, Bayern Munich actually helped Alaba secure treatment from a world-renowned specialist in cruciate ligament injuries.
However, according to Spanish publication Onda Cero, the Austrian’s injury appears to be much worse than initially thought. Alaba experiences extreme pain after training sessions due to reduced cartilage in his knee, which makes bones rub against each other. His return date has already been pushed back to January 2025, which would mean he would miss the first half of this season.
Real Madrid are apparently concerned that Alaba may not be able to return to football at all. If true, this would mean a tragic end to the player’s career. Alaba played at Bayern Munich ever since he was a teenager, rising through the ranks and helping the club win the treble twice. No one wants to see him retire before his time because of an injury.
