[REVISION HISTORY]

David Alaba joins Udinese and faces early injury setback

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2026-10-13 07:12 UTC → 2026-10-19 18:22 UTC · added ~~removed~~

David Alaba joins Udinese and ~~makes Serie A debut~~ faces early injury setback

Austrian defender David Alaba has finalized his move to Italian Serie A club Udinese Calcio, joining as a free agent following his departure from Real Madrid. The 34-year-old signed a one-year contract that keeps him at the club until June 30, 2027. Following his signing on September 24, Alaba underwent a specific re-athletization program to manage fitness levels after a significant ACL rupture in late 2023. He was officially presented at the Bluenergy Stadium, where he expressed optimism about this new chapter, stating, “I think this is the right step for my career. I feel very comfortable here and am ready to start immediately.” Udinese management, including General Manager Franco Collavino and Sporting Director Gianluca Nani, intends to utilize Alaba’s experience to provide a “culture of excellence.” Nani noted the deal marked a strategic shift for the club toward acquiring established champions to stabilize a defense impacted by injuries to players such as Oumar Solet and Matteo Palma. Alaba made his Serie A debut for Udinese on October 12, appearing as a substitute in the 73rd minute during a 1-2 defeat against Torino. This marked his first competitive appearance since Austria's World Cup exit in July. The match saw Torino take an early lead through Daniel Braganca, followed by a Jurgen Ekkelenkamp equalizer for Udinese. However, a mistake by goalkeeper Maduka Okoye allowed Sandro Kulenovic to score the decisive goal in the 67th minute. During his debut, Alaba was involved in a heated exchange with the referee in the 85th minute regarding an offside decision. Following the loss, Udinese sits in 15th place in the league standings with one win and four losses after six rounds. Alaba’s tenure has since faced further complications. During his first Serie A start, he was substituted at halftime during a 3-0 defeat against Lecce.

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