Real Madrid News
Real Madrid technical staff believes 20-year-old starlet should be a regular starter
Carlo Ancelotti has not always been fair with Eduardo Camavinga when it comes to utilising him at Real Madrid. The youngster is not a regular starter and when he has started, the 20-year-old has been repeatedly substituted at half-time.
But he continues to show that he is worth the hype around his name. And according to reports from AS, Real Madrid’s technical staff believes that Camavinga should become a regular starter in the team’s dynamics.
While Aurelien Tchouameni has quickly cemented his place as a starter under the Italian tactician, Camavinga has struggled to do the same so far owing to the strong competition for a place in the upper midfield. Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are regular starters, making it difficult for Camavinga to see minutes.
However, his situation could now see a turnaround after the Frenchman’s surprising performance in the recent La Liga clash against Athletic Club.
Ancelotti deployed him as the pivot during the game, and Camavinga took the opportunity with both hands showing the world that his true strength lies in defensive midfield.
Camavinga could now compete directly with Tchouameni for a starting spot as the deepest midfielder. Else, Ancelotti has the option of pairing the two French proteges in a double pivot, although that would sacrifice one player from the central midfield.
The 20-year-old has played 17 games for Los Blancos this season, albeit starting only on six occasions. He is yet to find the back of the net but has assisted one goal.
The second half of the season could see the Frenchman rise to the spotlight as the Merengues face a tight schedule. With a game every three days, Ancelotti will look to use Camavinga more regularly and give him opportunities to cement his spot.
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.
