Real Madrid Hit With Massive Defensive Absences Ahead of Champions League Clash

Real Madrid will enter their Champions League matchup against Olympiacos with the weakest defensive line they’ve had all season. The club is facing yet another wave of illness and injuries just before flying to Greece, leaving Xabi Alonso with serious lineup challenges.

Thibaut Courtois has been ruled out due to a stomach virus, forcing last-minute tactical adjustments. On top of that, the team will also be without two key defenders: Éder Militão returned from Brazil with an adductor injury, and Dean Huijsen did not travel after experiencing discomfort while training with Spain. Unfortunately for Madrid, this adds to an already devastating list of defensive losses — Antonio Rüdiger, David Alaba, and Dani Carvajal remain unavailable with long-term injuries, leaving the squad with extremely limited options.

The situation forces Alonso to improvise, potentially inserting youth or re-positioning players out of their natural roles. The trip to Greece comes at a terrible time, with Madrid needing points to maintain first place in their group. Pressure is mounting as Real Madrid faces one of their toughest group-stage challenges with a patched-together defensive unit and zero room for mistakes.