Álvaro Arbeloa is hoping to lead Real Madrid to a strong finish.

Madrid—Real Madrid manager Álvaro Arbeloa will take a bolstered squad to Mallorca on Saturday after confirming that Éder Militão has been cleared to make his first appearance since early December. The Brazilian centre-back, sidelined for nearly four months with a torn hamstring, trained without restrictions this week and travelled with the team on Friday.

“He will be back. He’ll be in Mallorca,” Arbeloa said in his prematch news conference. “In top form, he’s arguably the best centre-back in the world. I haven’t had the fortune of managing him in any match yet, but we’ve enjoyed him at Real Madrid for many years. Often you get the feeling that there are two players on the field when he’s there. He’s an exceptional centre-back due to his physical prowess, his abilities, his intelligence and his leadership.”

Militão’s return comes at a pivotal moment. Real Madrid enter the weekend four points behind Barcelona in La Liga and face Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday. Militão is expected to be in the match-day squad against Mallorca, giving Arbeloa a game-changing defensive option for the season’s decisive stretch.

The club received further good news when Jude Bellingham rejoined training after a brief lay-off. The England midfielder featured for a handful of minutes in the recent Madrid derby victory but did not play during the international break, remaining with Thomas Tuchel’s squad as a precaution.

“Jude is intelligent enough to have had good training sessions and kept himself in shape,” Arbeloa said. “He’s ready to play and help the team, which is what we need—getting him back into match rhythm.”

Vinicius Junior’s availability, however, is less certain. The winger complained of thigh discomfort while on Brazil duty and logged heavy minutes in friendlies against France and Croatia. Arbeloa acknowledged the 25-year-old is “tired” after 49 competitive appearances this season and said a decision on his involvement against Mallorca will be made after assessing his fatigue level. Should Vinicius Jr be rested, Brahim Díaz is poised to start alongside Kylian Mbappé.

With key players returning and a congested calendar ahead, Arbeloa believes the depth of his squad can drive a late-season surge on two fronts. “Militão will be crucial for this final stretch of the season and for fighting for everything,” the manager said. “We’re ready.”

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