Eduardo Camavinga’s debut under Xabi Alonso will have to wait a bit longer after Frenchman reportedly suffered a setback just days before Real Madrid’s clash with Real Sociedad.
Los Blancos thought they had received a major injury boost this week with the expected return of Camavinga. The midfielder, who suffered an abductor tear back in April and then a sprained ankle in August, was in line to at least make the trip to San Sebastián with Real Madrid.
Except The Athletic now report Camavinga is expected to miss out on the La Liga bout. The 22-year-old’s recovery “has been delayed”, preventing him from even training with the group.
Real Madrid do not want to “take any risks” with Camavinga and will prolong his comeback until he is fully fit.
Camavinga has yet to feature under new boss Alonso. The France international missed the entirety of the FIFA Club World Cup and Los Blancos’ opening three La Liga matches of the 2025–26 season.
Injuries are nothing new for Camavinga. The former Rennes standout was in the infirmary for extended time last season due to various injuries that limited him to just 35 appearances across all competitions.
With the departure of Luka Modrić and the decreased role of Dani Ceballos, Camavinga was in line for a larger role this season before his lengthy spell on the sidelines. Now, he will have to compete for minutes with Alonso’s preferred midfield trio of Fede Valverde, Arda Güler and Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Camavinga will hope to be ready in time for Real Madrid’s Champions League opener against Marseille on Tuesday, Sept. 16. If not, the Frenchman will be eyeing a potential return at the Santiago Bernabéu against Espanyol on Saturday, Sept. 20.
Jude Bellingham, Endrick and Ferland Mendy, meanwhile, are all expected to miss Los Blancos’ clash with Real Sociedad as well.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Delayed’—Real Madrid Star Suffers Injury Setback Ahead of Long-Awaited Comeback.