Xabi Alonso given important reprieve on key midfielder's fitness ahead of international break

Chirag Sharatkumar

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Xabi Alonso given important reprieve on key midfielder's fitness ahead of international break image

Real Madrid will go into this week’s international break occupying the top spot in La Liga following their commanding 3-1 win over Villarreal last weekend.

Barcelona’s shock 4-1 loss to Sevilla widened Los Blancos’ lead at the summit, offering Xabi Alonso’s side further breathing room as attention shifts to national team duties.

Many of Madrid’s stars – including the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Franco Mastantuono, and Dean Huijsen – have already departed to link up with their respective national teams for international friendlies or crucial World Cup qualifiers.

Valverde given a much-needed rest

However, Alonso has been handed some welcome news regarding one of his most important players.

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Fede Valverde will not travel with Uruguay for their upcoming matches, ESPN confirmed on Monday (October 6).

Reports last week suggested that he might indeed travel, but according to Marca, he will be rested for Uruguay’s upcoming friendlies against the Dominican Republic and Uzbekistan.

The Uruguay captain was granted permission to miss this week’s fixtures following an agreement between Real Madrid and national team coach Marcelo Bielsa.

The 27-year-old will now remain in Madrid throughout the break, taking time to recover after a demanding start to the season.

Valverde has endured a turbulent week, as he was forced to issue a statement denying claims that he refused to play out of position in Madrid’s Champions League win over Kairat Almaty, before eventually being deployed at right-back against Villarreal.

Given his heavy workload – over 50 appearances last season and nine starts in Madrid’s opening ten matches this term, more than any other player – a short respite comes as a deserved relief.

Valverde will train at Valdebebas alongside Jude Bellingham, who was left out of England’s latest squad, as well as Aurelien Tchouameni and Alvaro Carreras, among others.

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Chirag Sharatkumar

Chirag Sharatkumar is a freelance writer for The Sporting News, with a focus on the Premier League, international football, and global fan culture. He also has extensive experience with the Stats Perform news agency and is a keen long-form sport and culture writer and storyteller. His work can be found on the pages of MUNDIAL Magazine and across various Substack platforms.