After the game against Al Hilal that induced so many mixed emotions, Real Madrid will be locking horns with Pachuca in two days.
The Club World Cup is going to be exciting and short, hardly a month long, but an excruciating tournament that will cut short the much-needed post-season rest for football players.
This will increase the risk of injuries for many important players, and given that Madrid do not have the best squad depth right now, things might start to get concerning very soon.
But in good news, according to Marca, Antonio Rüdiger, who has been recovering after his left knee surgery in late April, is now expected to be ready for Xabi Alonso for the game against Pachuca.
Antonio Rudiger may be back, but will he actually play?
Rudiger is fresh off a surgery he postponed for months, until the point it became too painful to move forward. It was long pending and a painful one. And although he may be available in Xabi's roster, there are two solid reasons why he may not play just yet.
It is not the best option to give him the load of a game just yet. His knee is fragile, and risking another injury, similar to the fate of Éder Militão last season, may not be the wisest decision, given how important the German is going to be in the season that lies ahead.
Furthermore, Raul Asencio and Dean Huijsen have now emerged as very reliable starters. The debutant also had a very good first game and will be heavily relied on under Xabi Alonso.
But again, Asencio is not at the best of his form and might need some rest in the upcoming games. And by that time, as was the case against Al Hilal, Aurélien Tchouaméni might be trusted by Xabi the same way he had been by Carlo Ancelotti.
Nonetheless, Rüdiger's availability is a huge boost. Him getting any minutes at all is not ruled out.