One Madrid after the World Cup and another after the Qatar event. The break was a turning point in the entry of several players into Ancelotti’s plans. Young people take charge. Vinicius and Valverde are the two players with the most minutes in the squad, with a sustained role throughout the season. They are the only ones who repeat in the top-5 of minutes before and after the World Cup event, which has caused a changing of the guard in the white team, with two players remarkably benefited: Rüdiger and Camavinga, to which Nacho joins. A silent transition in which Ancelotti pampers the minutes of veterans like Benzema –who has regained momentum after a start tortured by injuries–, Kroos or Modric.
LaLiga Santander 2022/2023
*Data updated as of March 29, 2023
The German defender has taken advantage of this quarter to establish himself in the first team, after a start to the season in which Ancelotti refused to touch the defense that gave him such good results last season. Rüdiger, 30, has taken advantage of Alaba’s injuries to demonstrate his qualities and consolidate themselves as a couple for Militao in the center of the Madrid rearguard. Only Vinicius has played more than Rüdiger (and the difference is minimal, just 12 minutes) in this stretch of the season.
The other great post-World Cup winner is Camavinga. Ancelotti has found a versatile piece in the youngest member of the squad (20 years old) capable of performing as a midfielder, pivot and even left back. The Frenchman came to chain 11 games in a row as a starter. The top-5 of minutes is completed after the break by Courtois, who injuries have forced to make room for Lunin. But the greatest leap is made by Nacho, who has gone from playing just 21.9% of the minutes to playing 75.5%.
The main victims have been Alaba, Mendy and Tchouameni, all of them victims of injuries in this period. Although, already recovered, the Frenchman has seen on his return how the convincing performances of his compatriot Camavinga have displaced him in the preferences of both Ancelotti and Deschamps. The three have gone from playing more than two thirds of the minutes to participating in less than a third.
The World Cup has also had other effect: Carletto He is avoiding squeezing his players and dosing the minutes of his squad more than last year. At this point in the season, six players exceeded 75% of the minutes played. In the total calculation of this campaign, only Vinicius (3,600 minutes, 91.6% of the possible) and Valverde (3,390 ‘, 86.3%) have exceeded that threshold.
