The spotlight, in the Classic, will be on the big stars of both teams. That does not mean that, in the end, the supporting actors cannot become protagonists. With a World Cup just around the corner, furthermore, there is nothing better than a great performance in a duel between Barcelona and Real Madrid to convince the selectors who have not yet defined their final list for the World Cup event. This is the case of Alejandro Balde and Álvaro Carreras, who continue without giving up the dream of being in the United States, Mexico and Canada. They have it complicated because Luis de la Fuente currently prioritizes Cucurella and Grimaldobut anything can happen in the coming months. “Balde has already been with me, and Carreras has not yet, but he has been international in the youth categories. Both are on our pre-list and are doing very well,” said the Spanish coach in a recent interview with AS.
In tonight’s Super Cup final, very difficult individual duels await both of them. Balde will have to defend Rodrygothe talented Brazilian from Madrid who was already the protagonist in the semifinal, scoring the second goal in the duel against Atlético, while Carreras will be seen, nothing more and nothing less, than with Lamine Yamalwho arrives at this Classic one hundred percent physically and wanting to vindicate himself after the bad image he offered in the League duel at the Bernabéu.
With the conversion of Gerard Martín to the left-footed center position, Balde was left without a rival on the side. After a beginning of the course in which it almost always ended up being one of the changes, now it usually ends again. He started the season well but an injury left him out for five games and it was difficult for him to recover his best version.. Now, however, he is once again hurting his rivals with the tandem he forms with Raphinha on the left flank of the Barça attack. He has three goal assists.
Now, at the end of the Super Cup, He will face a tough rival for the position after the loan of Cancelo, the versatile Portuguese full-back who, in addition, is a born competitor. The competition between the two will require them to be one hundred percent.
As a competitor he is also Carreras. So much so that for tonight It is not ruled out that he will have to be moved to the central position due to the shortage that Xabi suffers there.. A problem that the Galician has solved very satisfactorily on occasions during this season (against Levante, in Talavera…) and on other occasions less so (Elche, Celta). But, paradoxically, It gives him experience in a versatility that works in his favor in this final push to be in the World Cup.. As happened with Rodri and Luis Enrique in Qatar 2022, it seems that there are never enough centre-backs on a World Cup list…
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Despite this, there are three races today, and more so because of Mendy’s inconvenience. Precisely in its natural position He stood out when he crossed paths with the culé number 10 last season at Benfica and also in his only Clásicolast October, in which he dried up the great Barça star. Every merit adds up, he and Balde know it well, when there is a World Cup at stake.
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