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Real Madrid could be facing a significant player shortage when they go head-to-head with Liverpool in the Champions League next month.
Xabi Alonso, who has already had to navigate through injuries to key players during his brief yet impactful tenure at the Bernabeu, has been dealt another double injury blow during the international break.
As Liverpool gear up to host Madrid on their home turf on November 4, Franco Mastantuono is nursing an injury sustained during Real's last La Liga match against Villarreal. Despite this, he joined Argentina for international duty. However, the 18-year-old has now withdrawn from the national squad due to muscle fatigue.
Consequently, he will miss Argentina's upcoming friendly against Puerto Rico on Wednesday, 15 October, and will return to Madrid for further tests to assess the extent of his injury.
In addition, Didier Deschamps confirmed that Kylian Mbappe will undergo an assessment following France's 3-0 victory over Azerbaijan in the World Cup Qualifiers on Friday evening.
Like Mastantuono, Mbappe suffered a minor injury during the Villarreal match and was seen in discomfort towards the end of his nation's fixture before being substituted by Florian Thauvin.
Adding to Real Madrid's woes, Antonio Rudiger and Ferland Mendy may also be absent for the clash with Liverpool next month, depending on their recovery from current injuries. Rudiger is anticipated to be out of action until December due to a hamstring injury incurred during training.
Meanwhile, Mendy has been absent from the pitch under Alonso since the Club World Cup this summer, sidelined due to a reported thigh injury with no return date in sight.
Dean Huijsen, Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also currently nursing injuries, but all three are expected to be back to full fitness by the time Real Madrid take on Liverpool.
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Arne Slot has also had his fair share of player injuries to contend with recently. Alisson Becker may miss Liverpool's Champions League return due to a hamstring injury he picked up against Galatasaray, with the goalkeeper expected to be out of action until mid-November.
Ibrahima Konate, who was substituted during the Chelsea match due to a quad issue, has since joined France for international duty, suggesting his injury is not severe. Giovanni Leoni, on the other hand, has undergone surgery for an ACL injury and will be out for most of the season.
In other news, Wataru Endo missed international duty with Japan due to an unspecified injury. The severity of his condition and his availability for the match against Real Madrid remain unknown.
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