Real Madrid's Season Begins with Injury Concerns and Asencio's Return

Real Madrid’s new season began with three points and a problem.

Jose Mourinho walked into the opening game against Espanyol with his centre-back options stripped to the bone. Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen formed an improvised pairing, while Antonio Rudiger watched on from the bench. Alongside him sat Mario Rivas, a La Fabrica defender pushed into the matchday squad because the usual depth simply wasn’t there.

Eder Militao was out. So was Raul Asencio.

And Asencio’s case is the one twisting the plot at Valdebebas.

From the exit door to the treatment room

Asencio had been told clearly he was not part of Mourinho’s plans for the 2026-27 season. The message pointed towards the exit. A summer move looked inevitable.

Then came the setback. During a training session in July, the centre-back picked up an injury that was expected to rule him out until September. Any transfer momentum stalled. A player on the market suddenly became a player in recovery.

Now the story has taken another turn.

According to Diario AS, Asencio is already back in training with Real Madrid. The medical forecast has shifted: he is projected to rejoin full group sessions later this week. If that schedule holds, he is expected to be available for selection for next weekend’s match against Malaga.

From out of the picture to back in the squad in a matter of weeks. The timing could not be more delicate.

Mourinho’s balancing act

Real Madrid face three matches in eight days. For a manager who has just seen his defensive resources stretched on opening night, that schedule is a warning sign.

Mourinho is unlikely to risk Konate and Rudiger as starters in rapid succession. The threat of another injury is too great. That is where Asencio’s accelerated return suddenly becomes vital. A player pushed towards the door in June could be asked to help hold it shut at the back in August.

If he is fit, the La Fabrica graduate becomes a live option for Sunday against Malaga. Not as a symbolic inclusion, but as a practical solution for a coach who needs to rotate without weakening his back line.

The pressure of the calendar has dragged Asencio back into the frame.

A return that reopens the market question

There is another side to this comeback.

By returning earlier than expected, Asencio does more than give Mourinho a body in defence. He also makes himself visible again to the market just days before the transfer window closes on Monday.

His stance so far has been firm: he has no intention of entertaining offers. He wants to stay at Real Madrid. That position has held even after being told he is not central to Mourinho’s plans.

But football can be ruthless. If, over the next days, it becomes clear that his role will be minor, that he is cover rather than competition, the defender may be forced to reassess. Playing sporadically in a squad where the coach does not fully trust him, or leaving in search of minutes elsewhere – those are the choices that could soon confront him.

For now, Asencio is back on the training pitch, back in contention, and back in the conversation.

Whether he is still a Real Madrid player once the window shuts on Monday night is the next decision hanging over the Bernabeu.