Ancelotti forced to make major changes

On By Littum

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti will be forced to make strange choices when his men head across town to Leganes for a La Liga clash on Sunday. Furthermore, two midfielders will get rare starting nods.

This is due to many injuries to the Italian’s depleted squad, with three players picking up knocks in the first half of a 4-0 win over Osasuna last time out.

Dani Carvajal earlier went down with an ACL tear that has also ended Eder Militao’s season, and with the Spaniard’s stand-in Lucas Vazquez out for a month, midfielder Fede Valverde will have to step up and fill in at right-back.

Alongside him will be Raul Asencio, who replaced Militao against Osasuna and provided a quick assist for Jude Bellingham to score his first goal of the 2024/2025 league campaign.

The rest of the defensive line is completed by Ancelotti’s only senior natural centre-back in Toni Rudiger, who has Fran Garcia to his left.

In midfield, with Manchester United-linked Aurelien Tchouameni on the sick list, Eduardo Camavinga is the only focal point behind Dani Ceballos and Bellingham.

Up top, with Rodrygo – you guessed it – unavailable thanks to a niggle, Kylian Mbappe is flanked by left and right wingers Vinicius Jr. and Arda Guler.

Now able to cut a deficit at the top of the table that was once as high as six points to just one if it wins its two games in hand, thanks to leaders FC Barcelona, ​​who collapsed at Celta Vigo, Madrid is “good” and has “come back in good shape” from the international break “without problems” according to Ancelotti.

“Those who have been here worked well. We have to confirm the good feelings from the last game. We want to start well. Hopefully a good game will come out,” added the manager at his pre-match press conference, where he also said speculation about Mbappe’s mental health is “too ugly”.

While Barca have been unable to win their last couple of La Liga games, Madrid could make it two wins on the trot by beating Leganes, which would boost morale ahead of traveling to Anfield for a Champions League clash with the Premier League leaders Liverpool.