Militão, Alaba returns boost Real Madrid ahead of new season

Éder Militão and David Alaba both featured in Real Madrid’s 4-0 friendly win over WSG Tirol on Tuesday, with Alaba saying he is “almost 100%” after both defenders suffered injury-disrupted seasons last campaign.

Brazil international Militão, 27, opened the scoring in Innsbruck, Austria with a looping header, while Alaba was introduced — in a midfield role — after 62 minutes.

Centre-back Militão has featured in just 22 LaLiga games over two seasons, after suffering cruciate ligament tears in both 2023-24 and 2024-25, while Alaba returned from the same injury in January, before struggling with two muscular setbacks.

At the Club World Cup, Militão played only 26 minutes, and Alaba was unable to participate in Madrid’s run to the semifinals.

“I’m feeling much better,” Alaba told Real Madrid TV on Tuesday. “I’m almost there, 100%, I’m training well.”

The game against Tirol is the second time in pre-season — after a behind-closed-doors training match with Leganés — where coach Xabi Alonso has played Alaba in midfield, a role he previously fulfilled at Bayern Munich, and the Austria national team.

“It’s different, that’s clear,” Alaba said. “It isn’t my position, but I know this position from before. It’s been a lot of years, but I know it a bit.”

Militão has excelled in pre-season so far, scoring from inside his own half against Leganés — with a goal he later shared on social media — and then finding the net in Innsbruck.

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“I’m helping the team, doing what I love,” Militao told Real Madrid TV. “It’s taken a while, but the time has come, and the best thing is being back.”

Kylian Mbappé also impressed against Tirol, scoring twice and providing an assist for substitute Rodrygo’s late fourth goal, while Arda Güler twice hit the woodwork.

The LaLiga season begins this weekend, with Madrid kicking off the 2025-26 campaign by hosting Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday.