From a period midfield to a range with enormous possibilities for Carlo Ancelotti. The recovery of Kroos, who played against the Sheriff his first minutes of the season after recovering from a pubalgia, allows the coach to align, together with Casemiro and Modric, the third piece of the trident that has given Madrid so much joy in the last five years. But unlike recent campaigns, when the center of the field was the shortest area of the white squad and left Zidane with few alternatives to cover the absences of any of the trident members, Ancelotti has this campaign a good wardrobe background to build his ‘Machine Room’. With the recovery of Kroos, the signing of Camavinga, the next return of Ceballos and the relocation of Asensio in which the coach works, Carletto you have the possibility to compose your midfield with up to three different player combinations.
LaLiga Santander
* Data updated as of September 30, 2021
The white coach can choose the experience and craft of Casemiro, Modric and Kroos, the talented youth of Camavinga, Valverde and Asensio, and a third way with the youth squad Antonio White and Ceballos and Isco in front. The decision remains in the hands of Reggiolo's coach.
Champion midfield
Three players who have marked an era. The center of the field of the three Champions of Zidane (and other nine titles together). Since 2015-16, Casemiro (29 years old), Modric (36) and Kroos (31) have played 156 games together, in which Madrid have achieved 97 wins (62.2%), 32 draws and 27 defeats. The injury of the German has prevented the trio from now meeting on the pitch (Casemiro was one of those sacrificed in the quadruple change in which the Italian gave entry to Modric and Kroos), but his other two teammates have been important pieces in Ancelotti's plans.
Regarding the Brazilian, the coach himself has recognized how difficult it is to face his absence due to the lack of a specific replacement in the squad. It only gave him rest against Mallorca. Except for that same game and that of the Sheriff, Modric has also started when he has been healthy (he lost the duels against Levante and Betis due to injury). And Kroos is called to be a starter in a season in which his goodbye to the German team will download minutes in the international breaks.
The young alternative
A midfield that can last a whole decade. Among the three, they have an average age of 22 years and, what is more important, they are the ones who best adapt to the physical and fast current football, the one that he so yearns to practice. Carletto. The youngest of the three is Camavinga (18). The Frenchman has shown a cheekiness in his first encounters that has made the white parish fall in love. His physical presence is decisive, although he is obliged to improve his technique to become irreplaceable.
The one who has already become a permanent fixture is Fede Valverde (23). The versatility and reliability of the Uruguayan have fallen in love with the coach, who has used him as a starter in all nine games this season. It adds up to 788 minutes, although its black point is that it has not seen the door yet. Yes it has done Asensio, who resurfaced with his hat-trick against Mallorca. Taking him out of the band to use him indoors is allowing him to shine and regain confidence, although he still has a way to go if he wants to convince Real Madrid once again that he can be one of the team's benchmarks.
The third way
It is a trio that, despite the fact that they have never played together, perfectly mixes experience and youth. Isco (29 years old), who has revived as a footballer under the orders of Ancelotti, would command the trident. He has 342 games with the white shirt, in the more than eight years he has been in the capital (he arrived in the summer of 2013 from Malaga). This season he has played 166 minutes spread over six games, starting as a starter in two of them.
Along with him, the Sevillian Ceballos (25), who this season has the difficult task of settling in the white team. He arrived from Betis in 2017 and since then he has only played 56 games for Madrid (2,861 minutes). After two years on loan at Arsenal, the midfielder has returned to stay, although his ankle injury has not allowed him to start the season on the right foot. Finally, providing balance, would be Antonio Blanco (21). The large number of media in the squad this year has slowed down the progression of the Cordovan, who has only played 30 minutes with the first team. However, at Madrid they trust him as a player for the future. In fact, it ends in 2023 and they are already studying its renewal.