David Alaba has suffered a thigh injury, Real Madrid said on Tuesday, in the latest worry for the team's defence ahead of a crucial run of games including the Madrid derby and a Champions League playoff with Manchester City.

The centre-back had only just returned to fitness following a long-term absence with an ACL injury suffered in December 2023, featuring as a substitute in Madrid's LaLiga games with Las Palmas and Real Valladolid last month.

The news follows fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger's hamstring injury -- picked up on Saturday -- and with Éder Militão also out long-term with an ACL injury, that leaves midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni and youngster Raúl Asencio as coach Carlo Ancelotti's remaining options in central defence.

"Following tests carried out on our player David Alaba by Real Madrid's medical services, he has been diagnosed with an adductor muscle injury in his left leg," the club said in a brief statement.

Madrid visit Leganés in a Copa del Rey quarterfinal on Wednesday, before hosting Atletico Madrid in Saturday's derby in LaLiga. They then travel to City in their knockout phase playoff first leg on Feb. 11, and visit Osasuna in LaLiga, before City visit the Bernabéu on Feb. 19.

The LaLiga and European champions went into this season with just three senior, first-choice centre-backs -- Rudiger, Militao and Alaba -- following the departure of Nacho Fernandez last summer.

Alaba has only been available for selection since last month, while Militao was injured in November and is not expected to return this season.

In their absence, Ancelotti has often picked Tchouameni at centre-back, while Asencio, 21, has made 10 appearances in LaLiga and four in the Champions League.

Club captain and right-back Dani Carvajal is another key defender who is unavailable until this summer, also with a serious knee injury.

Madrid opted not to sign a defender in the January transfer window, after an early approach for Trent Alexander-Arnold was rejected by Liverpool.