Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach of Real Madrid, is facing a real crisis in the defense ahead of the highly anticipated match against Villarreal, scheduled for next Saturday as part of the 21st round of the Spanish league, at the La Cerámica stadium.

The Spanish newspaper "Marca" reported that defender Raúl Asensio may have sustained an injury, which led the coaching staff to substitute him at halftime during yesterday's match against Monaco. He is now awaiting medical examinations to determine the severity of the injury.

The newspaper added in its report that if Asensio's absence is confirmed, Arbeloa will enter the Villarreal match with very limited options in the center-back position, as only Dean Henderson and David Alaba will remain.

Real Madrid is already struggling with a series of significant absences in the defense, led by Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger, and Ferland Mendy, along with Trent Alexander-Arnold, which further complicates the team's task in the upcoming match.

Arbeloa can rely on Álvaro Carreras in central defense alongside Hausen, with Fran García or Camavinga as the left-back. It should be noted that Chouameni, who can also play as a defender, will not be available against Villarreal due to card accumulation.