Real Madrid’s Defensive Crisis: Injuries and Risks

Real Madrid lost the two starting center backs of the 14th during the season: Militao went down in August, with a torn cruciate ligament, and Alaba suffered the same problem in mid-December. After the Brazilian’s injury, it was decided to throw in what we had and rely on the youth team, despite the fact that the center back that Ancelotti likes the most, Marvel, has barely been able to play 366 minutes due to repeated physical problems. Risky, but understandable. Much more surprising was that, after Alaba broke up, Ancelotti confirmed that they would not go to the market either.

The theory was clear: there were two healthy center backs (Rüdiger and Nacho) and several players with the ability to perform there (Tchouameni, Carvajal and Mendy). But without a doubt the strategy involved risks that became palpable yesterday when, in the 37th minute, Rüdiger suffered a severe blow to his left thigh after a dispute with Greenwood. He was treated by doctors and was able to finish the first part, although showing an obvious limp. After the referee’s whistle, he fell to the ground and left, being helped by the doctors. Since the action with Greenwood, Camavinga was warming up on the wing; After the break, the Frenchman entered and delayed Tchouameni to the center of the defense.

An absence that, logically, set off all the alarms at Real Madrid for the coming weeks, in which the calendar holds very important dates for the whites to define the good or bad course of their campaign: this Sunday they host Atlético, the Saturday the 10th against Girona and on Tuesday the 13th they play the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Leipzig in Germany. In the white club they reduced the fear: a strong blow, a lifelong ‘snack’, very painful, but without the appearance of seriousness.

However, we will have to see its evolution, since strong blows can lead to fiber breaks. He will be monitored over the next few days and will undergo tests, depending mainly on whether or not he has a hematoma and its severity. The German is a doubt for the derby, as Carletto confirmed at a press conference; The one who is definitely out is Tchouameni, who saw yellow one minute from the end for a foul on Jordi. A rigorous card, but one against which Madrid has no faith to appeal: having contact, it is assumed that there is no possible rectification in Appeal.

All of this, on the closing day of the winter market, as if the script for the night had been written by Hitchcock. Ancelotti is resigned to the Frenchman, but has faith in Rüdiger: “He can recover. It is a strong blow, but he is a warrior. It is difficult for him not to arrive because of a small annoyance.” And he assumes that, if the German does not arrive, he will have to use Plan C for the center back: “If we don’t have Rüdiger we will put in another center back who will not be used to playing there, but will do it very well.”

No experience as center backs

Ancelotti is right when it comes to considering that Carvajal and Mendy lack experience as centre-backs. In the case of the Spanish full-back, he has never started there and is only remembered for the extra time against Chelsea in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, in which Nacho was injured and Ancelotti opted to use the youth squad as a center back ( The alternative was to make Rafa Marín debut in a duel of maximum European intensity). His performance, without a doubt, was encouraging, but it is insufficient to draw alternatives.

Mendy has played as a starting centre-back: he did so twice under Zidane in the 2020-21 season. But there is a trick: he thus formed the left center back in a scheme of three center backs and two wingers, an idea of ​​Zizou’s to be able to line up Marcelo as a starter and thus take advantage of the last drops of the Brazilian’s offensive talent, but freeing him from so much defensive rigor. And the bet paid off: Madrid won both games, did not concede any goals and Mendy actually scored one against Getafe. The question is: can he perform the same in a classic line of four? If Rüdiger does not make it to the derby, it is likely that we will be clear of doubts.

2024-02-02 04:32:26
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