Liverpool vs. Real Madrid: Los Blancos missing four first-team stars for Champions League clash as fresh injury blow is confirmed

Real Madrid have suffered a fresh injury blow ahead of Tuesday's Champions League game against Liverpool, with summer arrival Franco Mastantuono ruled out of the contest.

The Argentina international has been a regular for Los Blancos following his arrival from River Plate, featuring on 12 occasions in all competitions, scoring once and providing one assist.

The 18-year-old would have been in contention to start at Anfield, but Real Madrid have revealed that the attacker will sit out the contract due to pubalgia.

"Following tests carried out today on our player Franco Mastantuono by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with pubalgia. His recovery will be monitored," read a statement from the capital giants.

Real Madrid have not provided a timeframe in terms of the attacker's recovery process, as he will again be assessed later in the week ahead of the trip to Rayo Vallecano in the league on Sunday.

Liverpool vs. Real Madrid: Mastantuono ruled out of Champions League clash

Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are two other first-team absentees for Real Madrid, with the latter failing to recover from a calf issue, while the former is still out with a serious muscular injury; Dani Carvajal is also out following knee surgery.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has recently returned to fitness, although the ex-Liverpool defender has been an unused substitute in the team's last two matches following a hamstring issue.

“He’s fine, he didn’t play the other day because of the circumstances of the match. He’s available and can play tomorrow. We need him because he has tremendous quality. We have to help him and give him what he needs to perform," said Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso during his pre-match press conference.

Federico Valverde is the favourite to start at right-back at Anfield, with Alexander-Arnold's lack of football expected to count against him when it comes to the starting side.

Xabi Alonso looking forward to Anfield return

Alonso famously turned out for Liverpool as a player between 2004 and 2009, winning the Champions League during a successful spell, and he is now preparing to return to Anfield on Tuesday night.

“It always feels good to return to a place where you have been loved so much,” he said.

“It was very important, it wasn’t just a meaningless step. I was there for five years and I learned a lot. Not just about playing, but also about thinking. It helped me to be here. You love football and you love playing for a club like this.

“I try not to let my emotions get the better of me. I don’t want them to change my preparation… and what’s meant to happen will happen. Distancing myself from the emotions of these matches is important so I can be more focused on what I have to do.”

Real Madrid have won all three of their matches in the league phase of the Champions League this season, which has left them up in fifth position in the overall table on nine points.

Real Madrid squad vs. Liverpool

Courtois, Lunin, Gonzalez; Militao, Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Carreras, F Garcia, Mendy, Huijsen; Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouameni, Guler, Ceballos; Vinicius, Endrick, Mbappe, Rodrygo, Gonzalo, Brahim