Real Madrid center back Nacho Fernandez has been out since the Champions League fixture against Club Brugge with a knee injury, but he could return for Matchday 15 against Alaves.
It has been a wild season for Real Madrid’s defense. After running a streak of five straight clean sheets heading into the international break, Los Blancos gave away a goal to Real Sociedad for free in the second minute before clamping the opposition down for a 3-1 win. They then held PSG in check for 81 minutes on Tuesday before giving up back-to-back goals in three minutes to blow a 2-0 lead for a 2-2 draw.
Although he isn’t a starter, Nacho Fernandez has been a key backup for Real Madrid and was called into action on three occasions this season. He’s been out injured since Oct. 1, as he suffered a knee injury against Club Brugge that was expected to take two months or more to recover from.
According to a report from MARCA, Nacho could be ready to return on Saturday when Real Madrid return to La Liga action against Alaves. Nacho practiced before the PSG game and also trained with the team on Wednesday afterwards, suggesting he is now healthy enough to make the squad.
Whether or not Zinedine Zidane will select him, however, remains to be seen. Zidane prefers to give injured veterans extra time before selecting them, and Real is already stocked in defense with no notable injuries. Marcelo and Ferland Mendy are back to health at left back, and Eder Militao is the preferred backup to Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane. In fact, Militao has a great chance at starting on Saturday.
Nacho has been called into action at left back thrice this season, and when he went down with an injury, Real were forced to switch Dani Carvajal to left back against Granada in October.
So while Nacho isn’t a crucial part of the squad, it’s great to have him back. Not only is it good to see injured players back to health, but Nacho’s versatility and experience make him quality depth for Real this season. He also earned praise for his performance at the Wanda against Atletico Madrid in El Derbi on Sept. 28.