Ancelotti will work almost a week and a half with half the staff, after learning officially that there are eleven players summoned by national teams for this March break. Three of them (Carvajal, Modric and Jovic) will travel for a less demanding stay, as their countries will face two friendlies; the four brazilians, with the ticket to Qatar 2022 already in their pocket, their heart rate is also reduced, despite playing official matches; but Valverde everything is at stake with Uruguay, while Alaba and Baleparadoxes of destiny, will face life or death in the playoff. camavingameanwhile, will play a qualifying match for the European Under-21 and a friendly.
Carvajal: two friendlies
Spain is already qualified for the World Cup, so this break what they will play will be two friendly. The first, this Saturday (7:45 p.m., La 1), at the RCDE Stadium against Albania. It will be the return of La Roja to Catauña after 18 years. The next game will be on Tuesday (8:45 p.m., La 1), at the Riazor, against Iceland.
Jovic: friendlies
Serbia qualified for the World Cup by sending Portugal to the playoffs (remember the slaughter of Da Luz), so this break will also be quiet for him. He will play two friendlies: en Budapest contra Hungary (Thursday, 7:30 p.m.) and in Copenhagen against Denmark (Tuesday, 6:00 p.m.).
Modric: two friendlies
Croatia sealed their ticket to Qatar 2022 by beating Russia on the last day (the Russians, after their invasion of Ukraine, will also miss out on the playoff to which they had fallen). This way, Luka will play two friendlies, both in Doha: on Saturday against Slovenia of Oblak (3:00 p.m.) and on Tuesday, against Bulgaria (16: 00h).
The four Brazilians: officials… But already classified
Military, casemiro, Rodrygo and vinicius They have been summoned to play the last two games of the group stage. Brazil is already in Qatar 2022, so they don’t play anything; but before them they will have teams that are risking their lives. They will first receive Chile (Friday morning, 12:30 a.m., #Vamos), who needs to win to attack, at least, the playoffs. And finally, they will visit Bolivia (Wednesday morning, 01:30 a.m.).
Valverde: life at stake
What awaits Uruguay is spectacular. Two games… Against the two direct rivals! The Charrúas are right now in Qatar 2022 with 22 points, but they are behind Peru (21 points, in a playoff spot) and Chile (19 points, eliminated right now). And what comes to them is receive Peru at the Montevideo Centenary (Friday morning, 00:30 a.m., Movistar Champions League) and visit Chile, specifically, the San Carlos de Apoquindo (Wednesday early morning, 01:30 a.m.). They can still go to the World Cup directly, fall to the playoffs or be eliminated.
Bale-Alaba: duel to the death
paradoxes of destiny, will face each other for a World Cup playoff final. One will be close to glory and the other will be left without going to Qatar. Everything, a single game in Cardiff (Thursday, 8:45 p.m.). For Gales it would be the second World Cup in its history, after playing in Sweden 1958, where they reached the semifinals; for Austria It would be the eighth, but they haven’t played it since France 1998.
The winner of the crossing will face the winner of the Scotland-Ukraine which, as a consequence of the delicate situation that the Ukrainians are experiencing, has been postponed for the time being. So Galesto complete his break, he will play a friendly on Tuesday, in Cardiff, against Czech Republic, Sweden or Scotland (8:45 p.m.). While Austriawith the same modus operandiyou will receive a opponent yet to be determined that same day, at the same time, but in Vienna.
Alaba and Bale, during an Austria-Wales qualifying match for the 2018 World Cup, on October 6, 2016, which ended 2-2. Both countries ended up staying out, not even playoffs.
Heinz-Peter Bader (Reuters)
Camavinga: official and friendly
Summoned by the Sub-21, he will play a game of classification the European against Faroe Islands U-21 in Calais (Thursday, 8:45 p.m.). The French are already guaranteed, at least, the play-off, but by winning they would put a foot and a half on the train to the European Championship (they are leaders with 3 points more than Ukraine, which they have won the golaverage; Faroe Islands, with 6 points, no longer has any options). France Under-21 team will complete the break with a friendly against Northern Ireland U21 (Monday, 8:45 p.m.).