Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid’s manager, is feeling the heat at the Santiago Bernabeu after back-to-back defeats against Barcelona and AC Milan, where they allowed seven goals on home turf.
These results have sparked discussions about potential adjustments Ancelotti might need to make.
Reports indicate that Real Madrid is now eyeing a right-back acquisition in the January transfer window. Ancelotti, however, avoided delving into the topic during his pre-match press conference for their upcoming game against Osasuna.
With Lucas Vazquez as their only natural right-back option, there’s skepticism around the current defensive setup.
One significant frustration for club president Florentino Perez is the limited game time for young talents Arda Guler and Endrick Felipe.
Despite their potential, they’ve had minimal opportunities to showcase their skills, with Endrick missing out entirely in the last four games. When asked about Endrick’s situation, Ancelotti acknowledged the challenge.
“[He is] Ready to play, doing very well, showing a lot of quality in training,” Ancelotti said. “I say the same about Guler; they’re both young players pushing for a chance. But our main goal is to get back on track as a team. Can we achieve that with them? Yes, but the focus is on getting results, not on allocating minutes to individual players.”
The dilemma for Ancelotti lies in managing the squad’s balance. Giving time to Guler or Endrick might mean benching one of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, or Rodrygo Goes — a move that could create tension if it’s seen as a step down in quality. Adding to the selection headache, Brahim Diaz’s role remains another point of contention.
Ancelotti faces tough choices, balancing the development of promising youngsters with maintaining a competitive, experienced lineup to steer Real Madrid back to their winning ways.
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