Italian Carlo Ancelotti, coach of Spanish club Real Madrid, has found himself in a new predicament due to the young Turkish player Arda Güler, according to Spanish newspaper AS this evening.
The newspaper, close to Madrid, reported that the impressive performances of the player, nicknamed the “Turkish Messi,” in Real Madrid’s training sessions have put Ancelotti in a difficult situation.
Güler’s brilliance with the Turkish national team has placed Ancelotti under pressure, as there are concerns over the player’s declining role and loss of confidence due to his limited involvement with the team and continued presence on the bench.
The 19-year-old Güler has struggled to get game time with Real Madrid, having featured in only 11 matches this season, totaling 292 minutes across the Champions League, La Liga, and the European Super Cup.
The newspaper also mentioned that Real Madrid captain Luka Modrić questioned Ancelotti about the reasons behind Güler’s exclusion from matches and urged him to give the player a chance to showcase his abilities.
For his part, President Florentino Pérez issued a stern warning to Ancelotti, insisting that Güler must be given more playing time after the international break, or there would be serious consequences. So far, Ancelotti has given Güler 251 minutes across 7 La Liga matches, 39 minutes in the Champions League, and just two minutes in the European Super Cup against Atalanta.