Real Madrid got a boost when backup player Lucas Vazquez came back from injury before their La Liga match with Almeria on Sunday.

The veteran player hasn’t played for Real Madrid since the 1-0 win over Mallorca earlier this month because he hurt his hamstring, which kept him out of the Supercopa de Espana playoffs.

Vazquez, who is 32 years old, has missed Madrid’s last four games but has been called up by Carlo Ancelotti to play Almeria. They want to take back first place in La Liga from Girona, who plays Sevilla in the evening.

He has played for Spain nine times and has set up two goals so far this season. His only goal was a 92nd-minute winner in a 1-0 win at Alaves before Christmas.

In the past, Vazquez played as a forward-thinking winger. However, all seven of his games in Spain’s top league and the Champions League have been at right back. Even though Dani Carvajal is still set to play there on Sunday, the return of his fellow countryman gives Ancelotti much-needed backup.

Important first-team players like Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, and David Alaba are still not in the running. Only Militao is scheduled to play again later this season.

The Bernabeu needs a big reaction after Atletico Madrid knocked them out of the Copa del Rey on Thursday. They are now playing the worst team in La Liga.

At Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid never led, but they still forced extra time when Joselu scored late to tie the game after Atleti scored through Samuel Lino, Alvaro Morata, and an own goal by Jan Oblak. When Antoine Griezmann scored a stunning goal, the home team went ahead again. Rodrigo Riquelme then sealed a 4-2 win.

Because they lost in the cup, Real Madrid will focus on winning the league title again and doing well in the Champions League in the second half of the 2023–24 season.