Carvajal back in training with Madrid; Alaba absent for another day

The return of Dani Carvajal to the training group, having overcome his latest muscle injury, and the presence of Rodrygo Goes and Eden Hazard with the rest of his teammates, were the good news for Carlo Ancelotti on the eve of the league clash against Real Sociedad, which will be missed by David Alaba, Aurelien Tchouameni, Lucas Vazquez and Ferland Mendy.
The calf discomfort that prevented him from finishing the Madrid derby in the Copa del Rey, after scoring one of the best goals of his career, will not prevent Rodrygo from playing against Real Sociedad. The Brazilian striker worked at the same pace as the rest of his teammates on a cold morning at the Valdebebas training complex.
Several Real Madrid players trained in full tracksuits, most of them with neck warmers and gloves on their hands to protect them from the cold, and some, like Karim Benzema, even wore a hat. Real Madrid closed the express training for their game against Real Sociedad with a light training session, the only one, in which Carlo Ancelotti brought together all the available players.
Among them, in addition to the return of Carvajal and the good form of Rodrygo, was also Belgium's Eden Hazard, who is tipped to be one of the new additions to the squad after overcoming a sprained ankle.

On the other hand, Austria's David Alaba did not take the field after a relapse from his soleus injury and a new break in a month of January in which he only played one game. Neither did France's Aurelien Tchouameni, who is still undergoing treatment for his soleus problem and must wait for his return.
Both are out against Real Sociedad, as are Lucas Vazquez and Frenchman Ferland Mendy, who injured his left hamstring in the Copa del Rey derby.
The rest of the Madrid squad prepared, after an intense warm-up in front of the media, tactical aspects behind closed doors and small-sided games in which Ancelotti decided on the changes he will introduce in his starting line-up in search of fresh legs after playing an extra time tie on Thursday.