A reborn, Chimy Ávila, and another to be reborn, Eden Hazard

Ezequiel Ávila, Chimy in soccer jargon, tore his anterior cruciate ligament twice within nine months when his professional life was beginning to be stable. The son of separated parents in a family of nine resident brothers, Empalme Granero, one of the most depressed areas of Rosario, made his first dribble against the crime that abounded in the neighborhood; he spent two years without being paid in Tiro Federal when he was accused of theft by the club; was about to lose a daughter to a respiratory disease, and had to work as a bricklayer (his father’s trade) and collect cardboard before San Lorenzo repaired him and changed his life. There he coincided with Leo Franco that he signed him for Huesca and did not let that train pass, which would end up taking him to Pamplona.

The two injuries he suffered have taken him out for more than 400 days and he still hasn’t played a full game in almost 22 months, but he comes from scoring in his last two games, solid argument to be forgiven by the radicals of Indar Gorri after wearing a photo of Santiago Abascal, who plays in another league. He is the reborn.

“His time will come”

Hazard He had already debuted as a professional at the age of 16, he was player of the year in France, Bravo trophy, three times aspiring to the Ballon d’Or, best player in the Premier, Silver Ball at the 2018 World Cup and footballer of the year in the Europa League. For that showcase, Madrid paid more than 100 million euros in what seemed like a safe investment. It has not come out. In just over two seasons he has only been able to play 27% of the minutes after suffering thirteen injuries and suffering from the coronavirus. In that period he has only scored five goals and given nine assists. He did not have a minute in the last Clásico or in the previous four. Today you are in a start over, thirteenth episode. It is yet to be reborn. “The coach now prefers another; his time will come,” Ancelotti explained yesterday in a response without additives.

In any case, both he and Chimy Ávila look like second-rate footballers in a week with three league games. It is the second marathon of the course, an invitation to rotate, more in the case of Osasuna, which is at the foot of the Himalayas. Its immediate sequence is Madrid, Sevilla, Real Sociedad and Atlético, the first four of the championship. So Arrasate will have to decide when he relieves the guard. In the previous triplet of weekly matches, in September, he repeated eleven in the first two games and changed three players in the third. Today he will have to do at least one replacement, that of Manu Sánchez for Cote, sent off against Granada. Nor does it seem that Ávila is going to repeat. His position will be for Kike García, former Eibar and one of the four incorporations of the team.

Undefeated at home

Osasuna appears at the Bernabéu embracing the data of four wins in his four starts and the peculiar religion of Jagoba Arrasate, who was able to blend in with the team spirit since his arrival. He took it in Second three years ago, promoted him and has maintained it comfortably in first the last two seasons. In the past, the team spent twelve days without winning and came to be second to last, but no one questioned its continuity. It is part of the landscape. “Sand somewhere you experience the feeling of belonging to some colors and rootedness is here “, has said on occasion. Luis Sabalza, the president, has announced that he will run for re-election, he has already reached an agreement for four years with the sports director, Braulio Vázquez, if he is the winner and his priority is to renew the coach. “My only objective is for Osasuna to reach as high as possible,” he recently told Manix Mandiola, his technical reference at ETB Arrasate.

Madrid will face one of the most peculiar teams in LaLiga. He has inherited the throne of Eibar in fouls committed and in recovered and lost balls, indicative of aggressiveness and high pressure on the rival, respectively: “You have to be brave, push up and drown your opponent. I believe in that and I’m in the ideal place to do it. Here people prefer good pressure to a pass or dribble. It’s a way of life.”

Ancelotti will also touch things. Carvajal will be the owner again. The minute he had in the Classic was the first in a month and a half. Against Osasuna he will play at least one hour. Camavinga is also expected, perhaps because of Modric, who has played seven games in the last month. And it is not ruled out Nacho, who has lost step with the return of Mendy. Above will repeat Benzema and Vinicius, the couple that terrifies in the championship.