Jude Bellingham’s injury opened the door for Carlo Ancelotti to shuffle his cards in midfield ahead of last night’s clash against Real Valladolid.
Of all the options at his disposal, two names prominently stood out – Brahim Diaz and Arda Guler.
The former, while not a natural attacking midfielder, had proved himself as an able replacement multiple times last season and presented the manager with a tested option. Guler, meanwhile, was the perfect tactical fit, albeit untested.
In the end, the Italian tactician opted to give the Turkish talent the start. While Guler did not disappoint by any means, it was still Diaz’s cameo off the bench that stole the headlines.
25 minutes of magic
Last season, Diaz was Ancelotti’s go-to option whenever Bellingham was unavailable for selection and the youngster made sure to take every opportunity with both hands.
The Spanish-Moroccan star only brought more of the same last night against Real Valladolid after coming on in the 69th minute.
19 minutes after coming on, the youngster wonderfully controlled Eder Militao’s long-range assist and pulled the trigger from the left side of the box to put the ball behind the goalkeeper, earning a place on the scoresheet.
Minutes later, he wonderfully carried the ball up the field and placed it on a platter for young Endrick to net his first goal for the club, earning a deserved assist in the process.
Diaz, after all, has been in fine form for Real Madrid since the onset of pre-season. Having not participated in the European Championships, he took up a bigger role in the USA tour and even recorded two goal contributions in the game against Chelsea.
Hungry for more
While Guler did not do much wrong in the 69 minutes he spent on the field, Diaz’s power-packed performance rightfully will be remembered more fondly by the Real Management and will thus further the youngster’s chances of earning a start.
With Carlo Ancelotti’s front three almost prefixed, the 25-year-old’s promising performances demand a starting place in midfield and placed the manager in a serious dilemma.
“On an individual level, I am happy to be able to contribute. I am hungry for more,” Diaz told the media after the game, only pushing the fact that he wishes for a bigger role in the team.
It thus remains to be seen if Ancelotti shuffles his deck and gives Diaz a start in place of Guler in the team’s upcoming clash.
Another option would be to hand him a place on the right wing in place of Rodrygo Goes.