Real Madrid News
Carlo Ancelotti heaps praise on Eduardo Camavinga; backs him to emulate Modric and co
Real Madrid’s fascinating comeback win over Paris Saint-Germain this midweek, coupled with their unassailable lead at the top of La Liga table appears to have overshadowed glaring issues within the squad that need fixing in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The midfield department is primarily a concern for Los Blancos, with three of the old guards in Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro all currently in the final phase of their respective careers.
Although neither of the three individuals has shown any signs of slowing down, the thirst for youngster alternatives is apparent. And it could ultimately see Real Madrid banking on the transfer market, perhaps even after the end of the ongoing campaign.
However, in a recent interaction with the media, Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has backed his current set of alternatives to emulate the likes of Kroos, Casemiro and Modric and succeed in the future.
The Italian tactician heaped praise on Eduardo Camavinga, in particular, backing him to become the face of the Real Madrid midfield in the future.
“Camavinga is the present and the future of this club. This is quite clear for him and for us,” said Ancelotti in his latest press conference (h/t Football-Espana).
Camavinga was one of the top performers in Real Madrid’s win over PSG, with his impressive second-half shift changing the dynamics of the game.
Adding to his monologue, Ancelotti backed Camavinga, as well as other young midfielders in the team such as Federico Valverde and Antonio Blanco, to emulate the current legends.
“The day that Modric, Casemiro and Kroos are older, we will have Camavinga, Valverde, the youngsters who are in the Castilla, like Antonio Blanco. We have the ideal relief for these legends of the club,” he said.
Camavinga and Valverde are both expected to start for Real Madrid in their upcoming game against RCD Mallorca later this evening. It will be an exciting opportunity for the duo to back the words of their manager, as Los Blancos look to maintain their healthy lead at the top of the table.
Real Madrid’s adventure so far under new coach Jose Mourinho has been far from perfect and this fact shouldn’t be lost even after the team’s brilliant comeback win over AS Roma in midweek.
However, there are areas where Los Blancos have shown a clear improvement under Mourinho, when compared to previous bosses such as Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
One of those areas has been set plays, with Real Madrid appearing far more potent from set pieces this season.
A clear improvement from last season
As reported by Diario AS, the three goals in Rome, all from Arda Guler corners inside a seven-minute blitz, were the perfect advert for the work being done at Valdebebas.
Those strikes took Real Madrid’s set-piece tally to seven goals in just ten matches this season. Four of them have come in La Liga, one from a corner and three from free kicks, with the trio in Rome completing the haul.
It is a striking figure when set against last season’s return. Under Alonso and Arbeloa, Madrid managed 12 set-piece goals across the entire campaign, all in La Liga, split evenly between six from corners and six from free kicks.
On current trends, this side looks well placed to surpass that number comfortably.
The reason behind Real Madrid’s improvement
Attacking set pieces are led at Valdebebas by Pedro Machado, with the whole coaching staff involved and Mourinho himself giving the final green light on every routine.
Defending them, meanwhile, falls to Sami Khedira, though it is treated as a collective effort. Mourinho’s appreciation of that teamwork was clear when Bellingham headed in a Guler free kick against Espanyol, prompting the manager to leap up and embrace his assistants.
Machado, one of Mourinho’s most trusted lieutenants, has followed him from Fenerbahce to Benfica and now Madrid, part of a backroom team blending experience with young, ambitious talent.
On the pitch, Guler is the undisputed master when available, his left foot the key weapon, with Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold and even Diomande also trusted to initiate attacks.
Such meticulous strategy has helped Real Madrid turn into a potent side from set-pieces this season.
