Real Madrid News
Real Madrid trio on the risk of getting suspended vs Girona if they get booked
Real Madrid lock horns with Celta Vigo on Saturday night on Matchday 29 of La Liga. Not all hope is lost yet in the league, and Carlo Ancelotti’s side will go all out in an effort to take all three points with conviction against the Galicians.
Three players in white are on the verge of suspension in the Spanish League ahead of kickoff. If either Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Ceballos, or Daniel Carvajal sees a card on Saturday night, they will miss the midweek clash against Girona.
Considering the lineup that started against Chelsea in the high-intensity Champions League quarterfinal, there is a good chance Camavinga will not start on the night. After all, the Frenchman completed the 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge and deserves time to recoup.
The same case stands with Daniel Carvajal, who played over 81 minutes on the night. The right-back department is thus likely to be manned by Lucas Vazquez, thus leaving Carvajal with little room to see another yellow card.
Dani Ceballos, however, is almost a guaranteed starter going by Ancelotti’s rotation patterns. The Italian tactician will not risk Luka Modric and Toni Kroos after such a high-voltage clash, thus paving the way for the Spaniard to weave his magic.
Only 11 points separate Los Blancos and Barcelona on the league standings. With just nine games left on the calendar, it does appear to be too much to ask of Real Madrid, but a comeback surely cannot be ruled out.
After all, Barcelona take on Atletico Madrid on Sunday and face a real chance of dropping points. The Blaugranas are winless in their last three games, and Diego Simeone’s side will pose a stiff challenge. A Real Madrid win on Saturday would really put pressure on Xavi’s men.
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.
