Real Madrid superstars Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr., and Luka Modric have congratulated centre-back David Alaba on his return to action this weekend after a long injury spell. Alaba was out of action for a total of 381 days after rupturing his ACL on December 18, 2023, during Real Madrid's LaLiga game against Villarreal.
The Austrian defender underwent surgery in May 2024. Although Nacho Fernandez covered well for Alaba during the initial stages, he left the team for Al-Qadsiah last season.
Things became complicated for Carlo Ancelotti when Eder Millitao also sustained an ACL tear in November 2024. With the side not signing any backup defenders last summer, Ancelotti had to play Aurélien Tchouameni and La Fabrica graduate Raul Asencio at the back.
Alaba made a much-anticipated comeback in Real Madrid's recent LaLiga game against Las Palmas on January 19. The 32-year-old started from the bench, replacing Antonio Rudiger in the 76th minute.
After the match, several Real Madrid superstars congratulated David Alaba on his return to action. Jude Bellingham posted a photo of him hugging the Austrian defender on Instagram and wrote:
"Welcome back my brother @davidalaba !!! After more than a year we’ve missed you so much, your positivity every single day despite the pain and adversity you’ve faced has been unbelievable to see, you deserve this. Great win and back at the top to add to a great moment."
Vinicius Jr. shared a photo of the two on his Instagram story and captioned it:
“What a joy to see you on the pitch again." (translated from Portuguese via Google)
Newly signed superstar Kylian Mbappe had some kind words for the 32-year-old.
"It's so good to see you back. Big love bro @davidalaba," he wrote under a photo of the Austrian centre-back on Instagram.
Finally, veteran midfielder Luka Modric celebrated Alaba's return to action by sharing a photo of them on Instagram and writing:
"It's great to have you back Brate!"
Alaba joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2021 from Bayern Munich on a Bosman move after spending over 13 years with the Bavarian giants.
Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham could have his contract adjusted so that he earns as much as Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.: Reports
Real Madrid may reportedly adjust the contract terms of superstar midfielder Jude Bellingham so that his wages match those of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. The Englishman joined Los Blancos from Borussia Dortmund in 2023 for a whopping €113 million transfer fee.
He was one of the best players for the Spanish giants in his first season, bagging 23 goals and 13 assists in 43 games across competitions. Despite a slow start to this season, Bellingham has seemingly found his mojo of late. So far, he has racked up nine goals and seven assists in 26 games in all competitions.
As per a report by Spanish news outlet AS, Real Madrid will reward Jude Bellingham with a contract adjustment that promises to pay him as much as Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.
As per Madrid Universal, Vinicius Jr. is the highest earner at Real Madrid with a massive salary of €20 million per season for the final two years of his contract. The Brazilian is followed by Kylian Mbappe, who earns €15 million net per season. However, he receives a significant sum in bonuses.
Bellingham, whose contract expires in 2029, earns €9 million per season. However, the club will reportedly boost his terms to match the lucrative figures of Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe considering his contributions in such a short period.