Arsenal could face an extra name in Real Madrid’s defence when the two meet in the Champions League on 9 December. Raúl Asencio, who broke his leg in October, is well ahead of schedule and has made the Arsenal game his first target.
The 23-year-old had surgery on 1 October after a hairline fracture of the tibia. At the time, his recovery was put at around four months, which would have kept him out until late January or early February. According to AS, he has cut about six weeks off that timeline.
He is already back on the grass, wearing boots again and working with the ball, steps that were not supposed to happen until December.
When will Raúl Asencio be back?
Asencio, an academy graduate, has been doing double sessions at Real Madrid‘s Valdebebas training ground to speed up his return. His first aim is to train with the first team again after the international break. From there, he wants a place in the squad for the Arsenal game.
Madrid then face Osasuna in La Liga on 13 December, and his realistic target for minutes is 16 December, when they play their first Copa del Rey tie of the season. So even if he makes the squad against Arsenal, he is far more likely to be on the bench than in the starting line-up.
Jose Mourinho is said to be delighted with his attitude. Asencio even travelled with the squad to the recent Clásico at the Camp Nou despite his injury, and celebrated the win with his team-mates.
What does it mean for Arsenal?
Not much on the night itself, but it is a sign of how Madrid are building towards the game. A fit-again Asencio gives Mourinho another option at the back, and Arsenal’s attack, which has relied on set pieces and quick combinations, will want to test any defender who is short of match fitness.
The bigger story around this fixture is the transfer talk between the two clubs. Madrid have made Riccardo Calafiori their top left-back target for next summer, and Arsenal have stayed in touch with Endrick’s camp about a January move, as we covered when deciding whether Arsenal need a striker or a left winger first.
Arsenal’s own fitness picture
Mikel Arteta will be just as focused on his own squad. Ezri Konsa is back in full England training after a knee knock, and the international break has given Arsenal’s injured players time to recover before a busy run of league and European games.
Our view: one to watch, not one to worry about
Asencio’s comeback is a good story for Madrid, but it should not change Arsenal’s plans. Arsenal are top of the Premier League and have been solid in Europe, and a defender playing his first minutes in two months is not the player who decides a Champions League night.
What Arteta will take from it is simple: Madrid are getting stronger by the week ahead of 9 December, and Arsenal need to arrive at their best. For more on how Calafiori is handling the attention, read about the Italian defender wanting to lead by example.
