Xabi Alonso hopes to count on experienced Real Madrid defender after the international break

The last time Ferland Mendy played a game for Real Madrid, Los Blancos were pitted against Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey and Carlo Ancelotti’s side went on to lose to a late Jules Kounde winner.

Having suffered an injury then, Mendy did not return for the remainder of the season and even missed Real Madrid’s trip to the United States of America for the FIFA Club World Cup. He then missed the shortened pre-season and even the opening months of the new season.

He is still yet to debut under the new manager Xabi Alonso but is now closer than ever before to a return. Yet, not only has the manager and his position on the pecking order changed, but he now finds himself in a three-way battle for the starting left-back spot.

Final weeks out

As relayed byDefensa Central in a recent report, Xabi Alonso hopes to start counting on the Frenchman after the upcoming international break and expects him to be back to his complete fitness by that time.

The experienced defender’s condition has been improving and those at Valdebebas are hopeful about having him back at some point later this month.

Concurrently, however, they are in no rush and will not prematurely hurry him back given that the coach has alternative options in the department.

Mendy has not played under Alonso. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Mendy has endured a horrific injury record in recent years and his fitness has been the one hurdle in his professional career.

Yet, Real Madrid value that they have enjoyed many successes when he was at his best and that he can recover the same level once more.

In many ways, Los Blancos see Mendy to be the ‘winter signing’ they need in defence for he will likely be available at full throttle only perhaps in January.

The idea, needless to say, is to gradually phase him into the dynamics from after the hiatus.

Returning to the squad now, the Frenchman will see that a lot has changed in terms of the left-back position with Alvaro Carreras quite clearly the manager’s favoured option.

Fran Garcia too has seen his stocks improve and is counted on by the coach as a quality replacement.