Real Madrid News
Ancelotti could have almost a full-strength Real Madrid squad for Valladolid clash
The twists and turns of the FIFA World Cup can be wild and go on to show why it is considered football’s ultimate platform. The 2022 edition has been no less in terms of drama, with several tournament favourites knocked out early at the hands of underdogs.
Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Uruguay and England are just a few of the many strong teams to be already eliminated from the competition. Heading into the semifinals, only Argentina, France, Morocco and Croatia remain in the running.
According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, the early elimination of the top footballing nations comes as music to Carlo Ancelotti’s ears for it simplifies his situation heading into the second half of the season.
Twelve Real Madrid players were called up for international duty in Qatar last month, and most players were expected to progress deep into the competition.
Given that they would require at least two weeks of rest after the event, Los Blancos expected to miss the services of several stars for the first game after the restart.
Now, the situation has changed. Federico Valverde, Dani Carvajal, Marco Asensio, Antonio Rudiger, Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard will all certainly be back in time to face Real Valladolid on December 30th.
Karim Benzema is also back in training after having been ruled out of the World Cup due to an injury.
Further, there is a great chance that the Brazilian Internationals, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo Goes, and Eder Militao, will be back for the game too.
Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Luka Modric are the only three Real Madrid players still active in the World Cup. The former two are part of the France squad that will face Morocco in the semifinals while Modric’s Croatia are set to face off against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
As for Real Madrid, they currently sit second in the La Liga standings, two points behind rivals FC Barcelona. With almost a full-strength squad at his disposal from the first game once the campaign resumes, Ancelotti will look to bridge that gap at the earliest and break free atop the league standings.
As Real Madrid look to restart the campaign following the end of the international break, all focus will be on the upcoming El Clasico in Copa del Rey on April 5.
However, before they take on their arch-rivals for a fourth time this year, Real Madrid must see off the challenge from Real Valladolid in La Liga on Sunday.
Given Barcelona’s 12-point advantage at the top of the table, La Liga appears to be a lost cause for Real Madrid right now. But that is no excuse for Carlo Ancelotti’s men to appear complacent, as they look to push for a late title charge.
However, heading into this contest, three Real Madrid players proceed with caution as they are running the risk of missing out on the next league game against Villarreal due to yellow cards.
The three players in question are Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Carvajal, and Dani Ceballos. All three of these players have picked up four yellow cards in La Liga this term. Therefore, picking up another booking against Valladolid will rule them out in the next game.
Camavinga, in particular, has been a vital part of the Real Madrid squad since the turn of the year, impressing onlookers with his performances and versatility.
Carvajal, too, is a critical option at right-back and his experience could go a long way in helping Real Madrid end the league campaign on a positive note. Not to mention, the club lack the services of a reliable alternative, which has led to links with Reece James this coming summer.
Ceballos, on the other hand, has been one of the emerging stars this year. The midfielder’s performances have been excellent lately, and he would not want to lose any momentum by picking up a suspension ahead of the important Villarreal game next week.
