Real Madrid News
Ancelotti will bank on Real Madrid’s bench strength ahead of fixture pile-up – report
According to journalist Jorge Picon (h/t Madrid Xtra), Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will make use of his bench strength more often in the coming days as the Los Blancos are scheduled to play a whopping six matches in a mere 16 days.
This means the likes of Toni Kroos, Nacho, Lucas Vazquez, Luka Modric, Joselu and Brahim Diaz will be used quite often.
Following the ongoing international break, Real Madrid will resume La Liga duties with a home game against Real Sociedad on Sunday, September 17.
Between this date and October 3, the team from the Spanish capital will face Union Berlin, Atletico Madrid, Las Palmas, Girona and Napoli.
Veterans have taken a backseat this season
The 2023/24 season has proven to be very different for Real Madrid. This year, Ancelotti has made a bold choice to assemble a distinctly different squad comprising of fresh talents like Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Jude Bellingham.
The trio has cemented their positions as indispensable assets in the eyes of the coach and it is safe to say that their influence on the team growing stronger with each passing match.
As such, the likes of Kroos and Modric have had to take a backseat in terms of game-time and minutes on the pitch, although their value to the team was visible in the match against Getafe.
Things will change
As the season progresses, however, things are certain to change. With the gruelling line of fixtures waiting, Ancelotti will be forced to rely on his bench strength.
Interestingly enough, the manager has meticulously prepped his team for this situation. He plans to turn to Kroos, Nacho, Vazquez, and Modric, who have played supporting roles at the beginning of the season.
This applies similarly to Joselu, who only gained prominence due to Vinicius Jr’s’ unfortunate injury, and even to Brahim.
Since the start of the season, Ancelotti has predominantly stuck to a consistent lineup, with the exception being the fourth game against Getafe, where he incorporated two fresh faces.
Moreover, two of the early adjustments this season were prompted by injuries, while the addition of Kepa Arrizabalaga as the goalkeeper marked another alteration.
Lastly, it is anticipated that Ferland Mendy and Dani Ceballos will soon rejoin the squad, gaining a competitive edge in the near future, which will only be an added bonus for the team during this time.
Aurelien Tchouameni has had an exciting start to his career at Real Madrid. Since joining the club for almost €80 million last summer, the young Frenchman has now become a pivotal figure in Real Madrid’s midfield unit.
However, prior to his move to Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder was closely linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
In a recent interview, Tchouameni opened up on his links to PSG but revealed his decision to join Real Madrid.
Aurelien Tchouameni on PSG links
Talking about speculations linking him to PSG, Tchouameni said (h/t Madrid Zone), “PSG? Frankly, I thought about it. It’s a very big European club, we want the French clubs to succeed.”
“But honestly, when Real Madrid calls you, it’s very complicated to say no,” Tchouameni added.
The midfielder was linked with a move to PSG during his time at AS Monaco. Les Parisiens wanted to sign the youngster as part of their plans to reinforce the midfield unit.
Tchouameni, though, ended up opting for a move to Real Madrid, which turned out to be a prudent decision from the midfielder’s end.
Tchouameni’s career at Real Madrid
Aurelien Tchouameni made a total of 50 competitive appearances during his maiden season at Real Madrid.
Although the Frenchman was not entirely a first-team regular in Carlo Ancelotti’s setup, his stature in the team is expected to grow in the coming years.
Especially as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric move on at the end of the season, there is scope for Tchouameni to become a first-team regular in the Real Madrid midfield in the years to come.
The former AS Monaco starlet has already played a crucial role in the starting eleven so far this season and it is only going to continue as the season progresses.
