Just consider the number of games that a first-class player participates in during a season. A player’s calendar is packed with domestic leagues, cup competitions, continental clashes, and international duties.
A top player can easily rack up to 70 games in a year. Sure, it’s tempting for the sponsor, and the viewers won’t complain either. But just consider how brutal it is for the players out there.
This is the primary reason why the list of injured players piles up every season. They aren’t just slight knocks but severe season-ending blows. Just look at the number of ACL injuries La Liga has alone registered this season.
Only halfway through, we have witnessed Gavi, Vitolo, Joseph Aidoo, and Yeremy Pino all suffering from ACL injuries. Having said that, Real Madrid tops that table as well. Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao are both nearly out for the 2023/24 season due to their ACL tears. Now, add David Alaba to that list as well.
However, rest assured that Alaba has the complete support of Real Madrid, and apparently, his former club, Bayern Munich, has also extended their helping hand.
Real Madrid faced Villarreal this past Monday for their 17th La Liga game of the season. It proved to be a bittersweet victory for Los Blancos. Despite their impressive 4-1 scoreline against Villarreal, Real Madrid faced a setback as Carlo Ancelotti had to substitute a limping Alaba in the 35th minute.
Further tests confirmed that he suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) rupture in his left knee and will be sidelined for the rest of 2023/24 season.
“After the tests carried out on our player David Alaba, he has been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The player will undergo surgery in the coming days,” Real Madrid confirmed in a brief statement.
The 34-year-old will be out for approximately eight months. Moreover, his participation in EURO 2024 is also in doubt, with Austria scheduled to start off their campaign in June 2024 in Germany.
Amidst this scare, Bayern Munich graciously stepped forward this Tuesday extending their condolences and promising medical support for the Austrian defender.
Former president and one of the most influential board members of Bayern Munich, Uli Hoeneß, stated that the defender’s injury will be operated on by a doctor whom the Bundesliga giants trust deeply.
“I tried to reach him [Alaba] today, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to. We at FC Bayern have ensured that he will be operated on in Innsbruck by a doctor in whom we have big trust”. Hoeneß revealed in an interview with Servus Nachrichten.
It is reported that the surgeon is none other than Christian Fink, widely regarded as ‘one of the best knee surgeons of all time.’
Renowned for his expertise in knee surgeries, Fink has a notable history with Bayern. He has a record of successfully operating on Bayern players like Leroy Sane and Manuel Neuer.
David Alaba has had a memorable past with Bayern Munich. He registered 281 games in the Bundesliga, scoring 22 times and assisting on 29 occasions. He decided to leave for the La Liga giants, Real Madrid in 2021 after spending nearly a decade with the German club. Even after years of separation, there is clearly no love lost between them.
Further details about his surgical dates and procedures are yet to be revealed. However, Bayern fans have taken to social media to expressed their pride in their club’s ‘class’ gesture.
On the other hand, Madridistas are concerned about their team and rightfully so. With Alaba gone, they are left with only two natural center-backs in the squad: Antonio Rudiger and Nacho Fernandez.
Will they opt for potential signings like the rumored names of Antonio Silva or Goncalo Inacio this January? Or will Aurelien Touchamani take hold of their defensive duties? It seems like it’s time for another one of those legendary Ancelotti eyebrow raises.
