Real Madrid Prepares for Champions League Debut
The Real Madrid squad, with Jude Bellingham and Aurélien Tchouaméni training at the same pace as the group, is gearing up for their Champions League debut, which will feature a new format starting on Tuesday. The week begins with the notable absences of Brahim Díaz, David Alaba, Dani Ceballos, and Eduardo Camavinga.
Brahim, who suffered an injury at Reale Arena during the first half of the match against Real Sociedad, underwent medical tests to assess the extent of his muscle injury in his right abductor. Meanwhile, Real Madrid resumed training with a recovery session for the starters and a more intense session for the substitutes. Bellingham and Tchouaméni, who had already trained on Thursday, rejoined the group after working out alone on Friday.
Both players, along with Lucas Vázquez, Jesús Vallejo, Fran García, and Endrick, trained intensively in the gym and on the field, participating in small-sided games. This allowed Bellingham and Tchouaméni to evaluate their condition after overcoming a plantar injury and a foot injury, respectively.
These are the two players that Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti hopes to have back for the Champions League opener against Stuttgart on Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Alaba, Ceballos, and Camavinga are ruled out, and Brahim is also likely to miss several matches, pending official confirmation of his injury.
On the positive side, Brazilian Éder Militao, who raised concerns after feeling pain in his right knee (operated on a year ago) during the match against Real Sociedad, managed to complete the game. On Sunday, he trained without issues, focusing on weight training and light exercises on the stationary bike.
Ancelotti will gather all available players for the final training session before the Champions League begins. It will be during this session that the coach will decide if Bellingham and Tchouaméni are fit for the match.
