Real Madrid will return to action this Saturday for the first time after the international break as they take on Real Sociedad away in San Sebastian.
The start to the 2024/25 La Liga campaign has not gone according to plans for the reigning champions as they have already dropped points in two games and are trailing arch-rivals Barcelona by four points.
Injuries have not helped the situation, and with the UEFA Champions League also set to get underway next week, things will only get harder for manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Dani Carvajal to be rested?
Keeping in mind the workload of the player and the important UEFA Champions League clash coming up next week, Ancelotti is now considering resting Real Madrid veteran Dani Carvajal against Real Sociedad, reports AS.
Carvajal has had a busy summer where he was a permanent fixture in the Spain team that won the UEFA Euro 2024.
Upon returning to the club, he has once again been an ever-present in Ancelotti’s lineup, starting four out of the five games they have played.
The 32-year-old also started both of Spain’s UEFA Nations League matches during the international break.
As such, given his workload and the game against VfB Stuttgart coming up in the UCL next week, Carvajal, who was being considered as an outside option to fill in at centre-back, could be rested against Sociedad.
In that case, Lucas Vazquez would be the obvious replacement for the veteran at right-back. Antonio Rudiger is a guaranteed starter as one of the centre-backs with Jesus Vallejo and Ferland Mendy, both of whom are fit and available, likely to complete the rest of the defence.