Real Madrid News
Ancelotti not planning to use new signings for Real Madrid’s Super Cup clash
The Helsinki Olympic Stadium will witness the UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid take on the Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt on the 10th of August in the UEFA Super Cup.
The Super Cup clash will be Los Blancos’ first competitive game after the Champions League final in Paris and also provides them with their first chance of claiming silverware this season.
According to reports from Mario Cortegana of MARCA, Ancelotti wants to prioritize and play those players on the night who featured against Liverpool in Paris.
This would imply that Aurelien Tchouameni and Antonio Rudiger would likely have to wait until the start of the La Liga campaign to make their full competitive debuts.
The manager’s decision is understandable because the new signings were not a part of the squad that overcame all odds to win the Champions League. It would only be just to reward the same core of players with an opportunity to double their European success.
One could expect the veteran trio of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro to feature against Eintracht Frankfurt in midfield, with the combination of Karim Benzema, Vinicius Jr and Federico Valverde deployed in the final third.
In defence, the manager will likely bench Rudiger for a David Alaba-Eder Militao partnership in the centre. The outfield will be completed by Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal at left-back and right-back respectively.
The new signings could come on as substitutes on the night, but their participation is not confirmed. If the manager decides against using them at all, they will have to wait until August 14th to make their debut when Real Madrid take on Almeria in La Liga.
Real Madrid are looking towards a heavy splurge in the coming summer transfer window. After all, they do not even have another option given the sheer number of player departures already finalized.
Los Blancos have lost the services of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz, and Eden Hazard over the past week. While three of the four players predominantly featured on the bench, their presence in the squad gave Carlo Ancelotti’s side much-needed depth and a cushion of sorts.
The forward unit is, thus, the most prioritized department ahead of the transfer window. However, pieces are beginning to fall apart on other fronts and could potentially put the club in a difficult situation.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are eyeing Lucas Vazquez and hope to sign him in the coming month. Contacts between the two parties have begun and the transfer fee discussed appears to be around the €6 million to €8 million ballpark given that he has just one year left on his contract.
The player, for his part, is willing to sign for the Italian giants given his relative lack of minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu. At 31 years of age, he understandably does not want to play a second-fiddle role.
Vasquez played part in 23 of Real Madrid’s 38 La Liga games last season, starting only on 12 occasions. Even in his few appearances, he averaged a mere 50 minutes per game.
The veteran completed the season with four goals and an assist to his name. Further, he averaged five defensive actions and a key pass in every game and feels hard done by his limited role.
Vazquez’s departure would place the club in a tricky situation as it would leave Real Madrid with only Dani Carvajal as a natural right-back option. Nacho Fernandez could, in theory, serve as the backup but a new signing for the position cannot be ruled out.
