Real Madrid News
Real Madrid veteran’s World Cup hopes rest in Arbeloa’s hands
Dani Carvajal is facing a defining phase in his season, with his chances of making Spain’s World Cup squad now closely tied to his role at Real Madrid.
According to Edu Pidal via Defensa Central, the situation is that only consistent minutes at the club level will put Carvajal back in control of his international future.
Explaining the selection scenario, Pidal highlighted how the right-back position could shift depending on Carvajal’s involvement in the coming weeks.
” If Carvajal gets consistent playing time at Real Madrid, he’ll go to the national team; Llorente will stay, and Pedro Porro will be left out,” he said.
A difficult season
Carvajal’s current struggles come from a mix of fitness issues and form.
A recent muscle injury disrupted his rhythm, but beyond that, he has not looked at his usual physical level.
On the pitch, he has found it difficult to match the intensity of opponents, which is a noticeable drop compared to his previous standards.
This dip has had direct consequences. The Real Madrid captain was left out of the latest Spain squad, with Luis de la Fuente opting for alternatives such as Marcos Llorente and Pedro Porro.
Simply put, without regular minutes and improved performances, Carvajal risks missing out on what could be his final major international tournament.
So what now?
As a result, a lot now depends on Alvaro Arbeloa and whether he is willing to reintegrate Carvajal into the starting setup during the final stretch of the season.
Increased playing time would not only help him regain form but also strengthen his case for selection.
For Carvajal, the World Cup represents a final opportunity to contribute on the biggest stage with Spain, and he is determined to fight for that place.
At the same time, he is eager to finish his Real Madrid career on a positive note after years of service at the club.
Real Madrid News
Mbappe hits out at claims on his unhappiness at Real Madrid: ‘Angry at my great aunt too’
Kylian Mbappe has been in the news for a plethora of reasons in recent weeks, starting with his injury and surprise vacation. Beyond that, the Ballon d’Or saga has kept him in the spotlight for a reasonable while now.
The Frenchman, after all, has not held back in speaking out about why he deserves to win the prestigious individual award, and while it is perfectly okay to campaign for the award, it is something that has not usually been done in the past.
In terms of his goalscoring numbers, there is no doubt that Mbappe should be a frontrunner for the award. His lack of a single trophy for both club and country, however, works against his chances.
Mbappe’s sarcastic reply to baseless rumours
Earlier today, there were reports of Kylian Mbappe being angry with Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid for not campaigning for him to win the Ballon d’Or this year.
The rumours, needless to say, portrayed the player in a very bad light and made it seem like the club not making public gestures to acknowledge and back his campaign affected him personally.
Now, the player has himself come out to lash out at the journalists, albeit in a sarcastic manner. Commenting directly below the post making the claim via Fabrizio Romano, the player wrote,
“Yes, yes, I even got angry with my great aunt too.”
Mbappe’s ability to deal with such reports with a tinge of humour, needless to say, is impressive and it can only be good for his image that he spoke out and cut off the news at its roots.
Set to return
There has been significant concern around Mbappe’s fitness in recent weeks after the player left the French national team with an injury after their first game.
The initial diagnosis appeared worrying, but it soon came to light that the player had avoided a major setback by a hair’s breadth.
Now, there is increasing hope that the Frenchman will be back for Real Madrid’s first game after the break against Villarreal, possibly even as a starter.
Needless to say, that comes as a massive positive for Jose Mourinho’s plans ahead of a crucial stretch of the season.
