Alaba suffers calf injury at Udinese and is out until the November international break

David Alaba's time at Udinese has been put on hold after only two appearances. The Austrian defender, who had played 63 minutes across those two matches, has suffered a muscle strain in his right calf. The Italian club announced on Tuesday that the player is expected to be out of action until the next international break in November.

• Alaba suffered a right calf strain after 63 minutes with Udinese.
• The Austrian defender is likely out until the November international break.
• He will miss games against Milan, Parma, Roma and probably Venezia.
• Alaba joined Udinese as a free agent last summer after leaving Real Madrid.
• The Friuli-Venezia Giulia club is going through a difficult Serie A start.

Two games and a calf problem that changes everything

Alaba made his Udinese debut on October 12 in the 2-1 defeat away to Torino, playing the final 18 minutes. Last Sunday, in the 3-0 home loss against Lecce, the Austrian started for the first time but did not finish the match. He was taken off at half-time after a first half in which his team conceded two goals and showed serious defensive weaknesses.

That early exit was followed by a diagnosis that confirmed the bad news. The overload in his right calf turned into a muscle strain that forces him to stop. Udinese explained in their statement that Alaba has already begun his rehabilitation process and will be assessed on a weekly basis.

Which matches Alaba will miss for Udinese

The club's estimates point to the centre-back being unavailable for the matches against Milan, Parma, Roma and Venezia. If his return does not happen in the game against the Venetian side on November 6, the comeback would be pushed back until after the international window: November 22, away to Bologna.

It is a particularly demanding schedule for an Udinese side going through a start to the season to forget. The Friuli-Venezia Giulia team has only collected four points in the opening rounds, with one win, one draw and five defeats. Losing Alaba right now further reduces the options to rebuild a defence that has already shown signs of weakness.

The player has already started his rehabilitation process and will be assessed on a weekly basis.

From leaving Real Madrid to being stopped in Serie A

Alaba arrived at Udinese as a free agent in the last summer transfer window, after closing his spell at Real Madrid. The Austrian was looking for minutes and consistency in Serie A, but the start has not been kind. The poor collective results have now been joined by an injury that interrupts his adaptation to Italian football.

The right calf strain is a common setback for players returning from inactivity or adjusting to a different competitive rhythm. Alaba, who came from a final period in Madrid with less prominence than he wanted, needed to add matches regularly. Instead, he will have to stop for several weeks and start over almost from scratch.

Udinese face a decisive stretch without their star signing

Alaba's absence comes at the worst possible time for Udinese. The team urgently needs points to move away from the lower end of the Serie A table, and the immediate calendar offers no respite. Milan and Roma are heavy opponents, while Parma and Venezia represent direct clashes in which they cannot afford to drop more points.

Without the Austrian, the coach will have to rebuild a defensive line that already conceded two goals before half-time against Lecce. Defensive fragility has been a constant in this early part of the league campaign, and the centre-back's absence forces emergency solutions in a squad that is not overflowing with options.

How the picture looks for Alaba after the break

The date marked in red is November 22, when Udinese visit Bologna. If the rehabilitation progresses without setbacks, that match could mark Alaba's return to a matchday squad. Everything will depend on the weekly assessments announced by the club and on how his right calf evolves.

Meanwhile, the Austrian will work alone to regain fitness and fight again for a place in the starting eleven. Udinese hope the international break allows him to complete the process without rushing and arrive in good condition for the second half of the calendar.