Deportivo Alaves confirmed on 5 October 2026 that Finnish international defender Ville Koski has sustained a muscle injury while on international duty, likely ruling him out of the club's La Liga clash at home to Atletico Madrid this Saturday. The setback adds to a growing list of players from Spanish clubs sidelined during the current international break.

Koski's Injury and What It Means for Alaves

The Alaves medical update confirmed the 24-year-old will travel back to Vitoria-Gasteiz within hours. 'The player has suffered a muscle injury and will return to Vitoria-Gasteiz in the coming hours,' the club's official website stated.

Koski's absence is a significant blow for Alaves head coach Quique Sanchez Flores, who has fielded the Finnish defender in all seven of the team's league outings this season. His consistent presence at the back has been central to Alaves's impressive campaign — the club currently sits sixth in the La Liga table, having conceded just five goals all season.

A Wider La Liga Injury Crisis

Koski is far from the only casualty of the new-format international break, which compresses four international matches into just over two weeks — a schedule that has drawn criticism from club managers across Europe for the physical toll it takes on players.

Atletico Madrid defender Alex Grimaldo was forced to withdraw from the Spain squad with a physical problem, while FC Barcelona recalled midfielders Eric Garcia and forward Raphinha early from their respective national camps. Kylian Mbappe picked up a knee problem while representing France and has yet to return to Real Madrid, casting doubt over his availability for next weekend's home fixture against Villarreal. Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams is reportedly set to miss the club's visit to Rayo Vallecano this weekend after suffering a hamstring injury on international duty.

Mbappe Draws Fan Criticism

Mbappe's prolonged absence from the Real Madrid training ground drew sharp reactions from a section of the club's supporters over the weekend, after the French forward posted a video of himself cycling and running on a treadmill. Critics argued the social media post was poorly timed given Real Madrid's fixture schedule, though the club has not publicly commented on the matter.

Broader Debate on International Break Format

The cluster of injuries has reignited debate over the new international break format, which was expanded to accommodate additional matches in the UEFA Nations League and World Cup qualifying cycles. Club managers have long argued that the condensed schedule, combined with travel demands, sharply raises the risk of muscular injuries. This is not the first international window to produce a significant casualty count from La Liga squads, and calls for a review of the format are expected to grow louder in the coming days.

With several key players now sidelined ahead of a critical weekend of La Liga fixtures, the full impact of the break on the title race and relegation battle is likely to become clearer by Sunday evening.