Real Madrid emerges victorious from a heroic semi-final against FC Barcelona. The game took on such epic character that some of the players left the field bruised, with ailments more typical of battle heroes than footballers. The wear and tear was tremendous and puts Ancelotti in a bind ahead of the final, which will be played in just four days. Some of its most important players are touched, and it will be decided in the next few hours if they are for the final or will return to Madrid before time. To this we must add the lassitude of some of his pupils, affected by the lack of rest in the calendar.
The most worrying cases are those of Karim Benzema and David Alaba. The Austrian did not even sit on the bench for King Fahd against Barça. A decision that set off the alarm bells of the fans although from the white dressing room they affirmed that it was just a matter of inconvenience and that his absence was in line with the precautionary policy that the club is following with this type of muscular problem. In fact, they do not rule out that it could be in the final. In the case of the Frenchman, he hit his shoulder in extra time. He lay on the grass for several minutes and received assistance from the Madrid doctors. He finished the game showing gestures of pain. After it, at a press conference, he reassured: “I’m fine, it was just the blow.” Benzema will be able to play without a problem, beyond the pain caused by the fall, while the coaching staff also hopes that Alaba will be available.
They are not the only ones with problems. Militao or Vinicius ended up with muscle cramps typical of the demands of the match. They are not serious ailments, but they denote a tiredness that can make a difference in the final. Something similar happens with Dani Carvajal, who was substituted before extra time. The youth squad had not played since last December 12 and ended up fatigued, with his lower body at the limit. Without a doubt, his stamina and performance are a good sign, but Ancelotti and his medical staff will have to pamper him if they want him to be able to repeat the effort this weekend.
Casemiro, Kroos and Modric don’t have any major problems either, but there is no doubt that the lack of gasoline is starting to show for all three. In your case, Carletto he has the problem that he doesn’t quite trust his replacements. Only Valverde and Camavinga enter the Italian’s plans, although they have been losing relevance as the season progressed. On the contrary, Isco and Ceballos are out of the rotation, and the Castilla boys count even less. Luka had to be substituted in the second half, while Toni and Case finished the 120 minutes.
“There is a lot of tiredness, it is normal. Let’s recover, too Alaba, let’s hope. The wear has been a lot. Now it’s time to recover“, reported Ancelotti at a press conference. The Italian, like the rest of the team, wants to lift this trophy. However, they must be careful: poor management of efforts at this stage of the season can make the difference in the darker months. important.