Real Madrid News
Real Madrid ‘delighted’ with youngster, Ancelotti showing great faith in him
Eduardo Camavinga has been silently making a name for himself in the Real Madrid first team lately. After facing immense criticism for his relative lack of progress, the youngster has performed admirably well since the turn of the year.
A recent report from AS has offered a detailed update on Camavinga’s role in the Real Madrid squad, suggesting that Carlo Ancelotti has put added faith in the midfielder in recent matches. It also claims that club are delighted with the progress shown by the youngster.
The former Rennes starlet has not disappointed either, which was evident in his performance against Liverpool last night. While the midfielder featured in the first leg due to the absence of Aurelien Tchouameni, he was given the start once again in the second leg.
This was seen as a clear message from Ancelotti to the rest of the team, indicating that the Italian manager has great faith in Camavinga.
The Frenchman was indeed one of the top performers for Real Madrid in their 1-0 victory over Liverpool last night. Starting as a defensive midfielder, he held possession pretty well and orchestrated the game, ultimately allowing Toni Kroos and Luka Modric to form a solid combination in the middle of the park.
Camavinga’s good performances in the defensive midfield position have not gone unnoticed by the club’s coaching staff. Although the Frenchman was signed as a number eight, his ability to play in the defensive midfield role has led many to compare him with Casemiro.
Not to mention, the youngster had earlier played as a left-back for Real Madrid, in the absence of players such as David Alaba and Ferland Mendy.
His improved performances, coupled with his versatility are few of the reasons why the midfielder has started in 15 of Real Madrid’s last 16 matches. It is also an indicator of his improved role in the team.
After a month into the new season, Aurelien Tchouameni is finally back in action for Real Madrid.
The Frenchman made his first appearance of the season for the Merengues last night against Inter Milan after recovering from the muscular injury that delayed his campaign.
His return to fitness had raised questions over where he would fit into Mourinho’s plans.
Tchouameni has been a regular in Real Madrid’s midfield for several seasons under different managers, but the end of last season was far less straightforward.
His confrontation with Federico Valverde, combined with speculation over his future at the club, created uncertainty about his position. His lack of a proper pre-season also appeared to put him behind other midfield options.
Bernardo Silva had established himself as an important figure, while Eduardo Camavinga was also ahead of Tchouameni in terms of match fitness.
With Real Madrid looking for greater creativity in midfield, there were questions over whether the Frenchman would still be a first-choice player.
Key for Mourinho
According to AS (h/t Bernabeu Digital), however, Mourinho has no such doubts. Tchouameni remains a key player for the Portuguese coach and is expected to be a starter.
Mourinho sees the French international as a midfielder without a direct replacement in the squad.
For Jose, Tchouameni provides something that none of the other midfielders in the squad do – a more defensive and positional presence, combining his tactical discipline with considerable physical strength.
His ability to shield the defence and provide balance could be particularly important for a Real Madrid side that want to defend aggressively and attack quickly in transition.
For that reason, his absence at the start of the campaign has not changed the manager’s view of his importance.
Mourinho faces a midfield selection problem
The challenge for Mourinho now is finding a way to fit all the pieces together.
If Tchouameni is guaranteed a starting position and Valverde is considered untouchable as captain, the obvious consequence is that Bernardo could find himself starting from the bench.
The summer arrival had been given an important role in helping Real Madrid control and distribute possession from deeper positions.
However, with Tchouameni and Valverde both occupying midfield places, Mourinho cannot accommodate everyone in the same lineup.
How the Portuguese coach manages that competition will be interesting to see in the coming weeks.
