Rotations on the go

Carlo Ancelotti has found an eleven type in which there are ten non-negotiable footballers. Only in the extreme right, where Rodrygo and Asensio alternate, is there debate. The rest of the players have been named by heart for quite a few games: Courtois, Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Vinicius and Benzema are fixed whenever they are available.

This insistence on a small group of players has opened the debate on the need for rotations so as not to squeeze too much of certain players, especially the trio made up of Casemiro, Kroos and Modric, who for another season are non-negotiable in midfield despite your seniority.

Ancelotti does not rotate them from the beginning, but it does give them breaks when the games go downwind. The Italian coach formed his type team after the fateful week in which Madrid linked two consecutive defeats (Sheriff and Espanyol). Then, after a selection break, the Whites count their games by victories with very few changes in the line-up.

However, everyone has had their little breaks. Casemiro has been substituted in the last two games, in the 65th minute against Real Sociedad (protecting himself from a possible sanction if he saw yellow) and in the 71st minute against Inter. On both occasions the party was already very on track. For its part, Kroos has also had a little respite in the last two games: substituted in 81 ‘against Real Sociedad and in 78’ against Inter. Also against Granada (changed in 80 ‘) he had been able to rest. Modric, a regular partner of the Brazilian and the German, has played the last two games fully but had rested against Athletic (substituted in 70 ‘), Sevilla (73’) and Granada (79 ‘).

In the offensive plot, Benzema has fallen in the last matches due to a small muscle injury, but had had a break against Granada (he left the bench in 79 ‘). In that attack he forms a lethal partnership with Vinicius, whoue has had a break against Granada (71 ‘) and in the last match against Inter (81’).