Real Madrid were back on the training pitches at Valdebebas on Monday — and despite the rain, the session brought a clear positive: Antonio Rüdiger took a step closer to returning.
The German centre-back rejoined parts of the group workout, a sign that his recovery is moving in the right direction after his recent setback. It’s not enough to put him in contention for the trip to Lisbon, but it does underline that his comeback is now firmly on the horizon.
Benfica comes too soon for Rüdiger (and Trent)
As things stand, Rüdiger will not be available for the Champions League clash against Benfica, and Trent Alexander-Arnold is also expected to miss out.
The club’s internal target is to have both players back as early as next weekend, when Madrid face Rayo Vallecano. If the medical staff decide to play it safer, the match against Valencia in two weeks is viewed as the more conservative fallback.
Either way, the message from Valdebebas is clear: Rüdiger is getting closer, and the process has moved from pure rehab to gradual reintegration.
Mbappé and Carreras stay on individual plans — but should travel
Elsewhere, Kylian Mbappé and Álvaro Carreras continued with individual training programmes at moderate intensity. Neither trained fully with the main group, but the club expects both to be available for Benfica.
Mbappé worked alone on the pitch, while Carreras followed a tailored on-field session designed to manage his workload without taking unnecessary risks ahead of the European fixture.
Militão and Mendy remain sidelined
There was no change regarding two long-term absentees:
- Éder Militão continued his recovery indoors in the gym
- Ferland Mendy remained on a separate individual plan away from full team activity
Their situations remain unchanged as Madrid manage the squad’s fitness during a busy run of fixtures.
Tchouaméni returns to the squad
The biggest squad boost for Carlo Ancelotti ahead of Benfica is the return of Aurélien Tchouaméni, who is back after serving a suspension during Madrid’s win over Villarreal at La Cerámica.
With the injury list largely stable, Madrid’s travelling group for Lisbon is expected to look similar to the one that featured in the last outing — with Tchouaméni the standout addition.
Quick availability snapshot (vs Benfica)
Out: Antonio Rüdiger, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Éder Militão, Ferland Mendy
Expected available (despite individual work): Kylian Mbappé, Álvaro Carreras
Returning: Aurélien Tchouaméni (suspension served)
