Real Madrid veteran back in training ahead of Manchester City encounter | OneFootball

Following their controversial 1-1 draw against Osasuna on Saturday, Real Madrid returned to training today with focus now shifting to their UEFA Champions League knockouts playoff against Manchester City.

Los Blancos secured a 3-2 win over the Premier League champions in the first leg at the Etihad and will go into the reverse fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday with an advantage.

David Alaba back in training

Ahead of the heavyweight clash against Pep Guardiola’s side, Real Madrid have been handed a boost as veteran defender David Alaba is back in training, as reported by MARCA.

The Austrian international was sidelined with a fresh adductor injury couple of weeks back, days after he made his comeback from a year-long absence due to an ACL rupture.

As a result, Alaba ended up missing the matches against Leganes, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, and Osasuna.

Back in training. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Manager Carlo Ancelotti, though, had revealed earlier this week that he expects Alaba, Antonio Rudiger and Lucas Vazquez to be fit and available for the second leg against the Cityzens.

“They are improving. They will continue with individual work until Monday and will be available against City. Including Lucas Vazquez,” the Italian had said.

And of the three, it is Alaba who has recovered the earliest and is already back in training, handing a boost to Real Madrid.

It remains to be seen if Ancelotti is willing to thrust the former Bayern Munich star right back into the starting XI against Manchester City, considering that he has played very little this season.

As things stand, everything indicates that Rudiger, if fully fit, will be inserted straight into the lineup against Guardiola’s men. If not, the pair of Raul Asencio and Aurelien Tchouameni, who excelled at the Etihad, could continue again.