Real Madrid News
Ancelotti will use Real Madrid veteran as pivot midfielder in Tchouameni’s absence – report
A report from AS (h/t Madrid Xtra) has affirmed that Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will use Toni Kroos as his defensive midfielder in Aurelien Tchouameni’s absence.
Tchouameni was ruled out for up to two months due to a foot fracture, something he sustained during the 2-1 win over Barcelona in El Clasico.
With Eduardo Camavinga also absent, questions remained about who will guard the Real Madrid defence during the Frenchman’s absence.
As reported before, Ancelotti had several options to consider, including Kroos, David Alaba, and even Mario Martin.
And as it turns out, the Italian has decided to go with the experience of the German.
Ancelotti also explored other options
A few days back, when the players were occupied in international commitment, Ancelotti and his coaching staff explored several options to overcome the shortness in midfield.
Back then, reports emerged that the Italian might as well deploy a double pivot comprising Kroos and Federico Valverde. The problem here was the fact that Valverde’s return to club duties was delayed and the Uruguayan only arrived in Spain yesterday.
This means he will only have two training sessions ahead of the Cadiz game, and as such, he might not start on Sunday. If that is the case, the Real Madrid fans might witness the return of the iconic duo of Kroos and Luka Modric in midfield.
Then again, Modric was also heavily used by Croatia during the international break. In fact, the veteran midfielder only had a rest of five minutes against Latvia and was on the field throughout the game against Armenia.
What about Jude Bellingham?
One good thing for Real Madrid for their upcoming clash against Cadiz is the return of Jude Bellingham. The England superstar trained with the group in the sessions leading up to the match.
The summer signing did not take part in any England matches during the break due to a problem with his left shoulder, something that he picked up against Rayo Vallecano.
As a result, he missed the games against Braga and Valencia, but after a week of training with the team, it appears that the discomfort has subsided.
After three successive wins to start the season, a 1-0 loss to Real Betis came as a reality check for Real Madrid, who are still some way off matching the quality and consistency of Barcelona.
In light of the defeat, the Real Madrid coaching staff is analysing the best way to get the most out of the current setup.
More expected from Valverde
According to Defensa Central, one of the key conclusions drawn from the Betis defeat is that Real Madrid need greater involvement from Federico Valverde with the ball.
The Uruguayan has been deployed as the pivot, largely due to the absence of the injured Aurelien Tchouameni, but he is yet to make the step up in quality the team requires from that role.
While his effort and commitment are never in doubt, Mourinho and his staff, led by Sami Khedira, feel Valverde spends too much time positioned behind the opposition’s midfield line.
As a result, he fails to offer passing lanes to his teammates when they are under pressure, forcing them into hurried, aimless clearances rather than playing out cleanly from the back.
That concern has already been communicated to Valverde, who is still adapting to a position he has never truly played, making the challenge all the more difficult for him.
A collective issue to fix
However, the problem is not Valverde’s alone, with the coaching staff identifying a wider issue in the team’s structure.
Khedira has reportedly noted a certain passivity from the attackers in the videos of the match, particularly Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, when it comes to offering themselves as the ball transitions from midfield into attacking areas.
That lack of movement compounds the difficulties for the deeper midfielders.
Mourinho, for his part, remains unfazed by the departure of Rodri to Barcelona, insisting his squad has the tools to cope.
“I’m not missing Rodri. We have solutions, we have quality,” the Portuguese said, before adding that he backs his ability to improve players.
With a Champions League opener against Inter Milan on the horizon, Mourinho and his staff will be keen to iron out these issues quickly.
