Real Madrid News
Ancelotti to rotate heavily against Getafe, three out-of-favour stars could start – report
The story of Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti has really revolved around two competitions in recent weeks – the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League.
Los Blancos tasted glory in the Spanish Cup when they downed Osasuna in a hard-fought finale last Saturday. They were crowned the champions on the night but did not have much time to celebrate considering the tight schedule.
Last night, the men in white played hosts to Manchester City in the first leg of the semifinal of the UCL. The high-voltage fixture ended 1-1, and there is everything to play for when the two teams meet next week in the second and deciding leg of the tie.
According to reports from AS (h/t Madrid Xtra), Ancelotti has all his attention focused on the trip to England. The manager does not have any interest in prioritising the weekend’s game against Getafe in La Liga and is expected to rotate almost the entire XI on Sunday.
Considering that the team which started against Manchester City was the Merengues‘ strongest XI, they are expected to start a relatively fringe-player-centered lineup in the upcoming La Liga clash.
Players like Eden Hazard, Jesus Vallejo and Mariano Diaz, who have played few minutes all season, are expected to be the protagonists.
Considering the situation in La Liga, Ancelotti’s decision is in the team’s best interest. Barcelona find themselves just three points away from mathematically sealing the title and could be named champions when they take on Espanyol at the weekend. That said, spending any resources on the league for Real Madrid would be a futile move.
One can thus expect rotations right from the goalkeeper on the night. Andriy Lunin could start in between the sticks with the likes of Vallejo, Nacho Fernandez, and Alvaro Odriozola starting in the four-man defensive line. Militao could be the fourth member in defence considering that he did not play a part last night.
As such, Aurelien Tchouameni could start in midfield. Mariano, Marco Asensio, and Hazard could feature in midfield, while there may also be an opportunity for youngsters like Sergio Arribas and Nico Paz.
Bernardo Silva was one of Real Madrid’s headline signings last summer. The Portuguese midfielder arrived on a free transfer from Manchester City and appeared destined to become the creative successor to Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the middle of the park.
Indeed, with the club having not signed a new central midfielder, many within Real Madrid saw the veteran star as a solution to the issue.
Manager Jose Mourinho made him a starter from the very beginning in pre-season, but not in his usual role on the right. Instead, he deployed his compatriot as a deep-lying playmaker in the midfield double pivot.
A change in circumstances
Silva failed to have the expected influence when operating in a deeper role in midfield in the chances he got.
Combined with the emergence of Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni’s return to fitness, the Portuguese international has now lost his place in the starting line-up and dropped to the bench.
Bernardo’s situation became particularly striking against Villarreal this past Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu, when he did not play a single minute.
Limited opportunities under Mourinho
Bernardo has played six matches for Real Madrid, starting three and coming on as a substitute in another three.
He did not feature against Villarreal or Elche, while his only appearance in the last three matches was a little over 10 minutes against Atletico Madrid. He was not used regularly by the Portugal national team during the international break either.
Across Real Madrid’s eight La Liga fixtures, Silva has accumulated just 282 minutes of playing time.
The Champions League now presents another opportunity for the former Manchester City captain, who has yet to make his European debut for Real Madrid this season.
He missed the match against Inter Milan because he was still serving a suspension carried over from his time at the Etihad Stadium last season.
It remains to be seen whether Mourinho will give him an opportunity against AS Roma in the coming week.
For now, the midfielder’s reduced playing time suggests that the Portuguese coach has lost some of his faith in a player who arrived with high expectations after leaving Manchester City.
