Given the busy schedule that awaits Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti has already reached an important decision with David Alaba’s return to the team in mind.
Real Madrid faces a demanding February, with matches that require high performance from the players. Although January is not over yet, the team will play crucial matches against Valladolid tonight, followed by a trip to Brest in France next Wednesday for the final round of the Champions League.
Next month, the team will begin with a visit to Espanyol, followed by the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey against Leganés in Butarque. Later, they will host Atlético Madrid in a match that could be decisive for the league title race. A victory over their city rivals would extend Real Madrid’s lead to five points at the top.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper “Defensa Central”, David Alaba’s return, after playing a few minutes against Las Palmas and nearly half an hour against Salzburg, will directly impact the lineup.
Ancelotti believes that once Alaba is fully fit and without any issues or setbacks, the Austrian will be the first-choice center-back. This decision will affect some players in the squad.
The first player impacted is Raúl Asensio, who will likely return to the bench, along with Eduardo Camavinga, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury in his left leg.
When Camavinga returns, Aurelien Tchouameni is expected to reclaim his position as a defensive pivot in midfield, presenting Ancelotti with two options: either Camavinga remains in the team as an inside midfielder, or he returns to the bench, allowing the midfield trio of Tchouameni, Fede Valverde, and Jude Bellingham to take shape.