These are the matches Rüdiger will miss due to injury

The new injury to Antonio Rüdiger, which occurred yesterday afternoon at Real Madrid, is a significant loss for Xabi Alonso. While it's true that the German number 22 didn't seem ready to be the undisputed starter at the heart of the defense, he was seen as a key footballer for rotations.

Indeed, the performance the Berlin center-back had shown during his time against Real Oviedo had pleased the coaching staff led by the Tolosa manager. Now that he'll be sidelined for those three months, Real Madrid loses an important option to build its defense in a series of matches that could define the competitive possibilities.

Because in addition to this immediate match against Real Sociedad, Antonio Rüdiger will be unavailable for almost the entire league phase of the current Champions League edition. Many speculate that his return could happen in mid-December, just in time for the match against Manchester City at Santiago Bernabéu. That match is scheduled for the 10th day of the last month of 2025.

The rest of the Champions League and La Liga matches are lost causes for the German footballer. Rüdiger will miss such important clashes as the Madrid classic against Atlético de Madrid at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, as well as the first Clásico of the 25/26 season.

There are many matches

The list that Antonio Rüdiger will miss, including the matches against Real Sociedad in La Liga and against Manchester City in the Champions League, is 18 matches. Those games, corresponding to the months of September, October, November, and December, are among the most important parts of the current soccer campaign, given the squad's wear and tear.

Players under Xabi Alonso will have to combine the challenge of a midweek competition, the Champions League, with the demand to earn points in La Liga and fight to keep the lead. Antonio Rüdiger was an essential player in those efforts, providing a quality option in the defensive rotation.

Now Real Madrid will have to redo all the tactical plans it had envisioned for the next three months. Xabi Alonso's coaching staff is suffering its first major setback since arriving in the Spanish capital, so many won't lose sight of the decisions made now.

Crisis management is also another of the virtues that the Merengue bosses expect from the new Madrid coaches. Given the situation, Xabi Alonso knows that he shouldn't expect a new signing in Santiago Bernabéu locker room during January 2026. Not even with the option of Ibrahima Konaté on the table, since by then Antonio Rüdiger would be about to return to the team.