“Vinicius, Carvajal, and Arda are finally back” – Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti ELATED over positive injury updates

Ancelotti signed a 2-year contract extension with the club until 2026.


“Vinicius, Carvajal, and Arda are finally back” – Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti ELATED over positive injury updates

Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media about the return of Carvajal, Guler and Vinicius from injury. (Image via The Madrid Zone on X)

Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti, discussed the return of key players ahead of the team’s first match in the new year against Mallorca. Ancelotti verified the recovery of Vinicius Jr., Arda Guler, and club captain Dani Carvajal from their injuries, resolving the manager’s concerns about player availability.

Real Madrid faced a lot of player availability problems in the first half of the season due to injuries. Many players were sidelined for a long time, so the manager had to put some players in positions they weren’t used to. The main goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, got injured early on, so they signed Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea. Key players like Eder Militao, David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga, Vinicius Jr., and others also got injured, leaving gaps in the team.

The desire is to start this part of the season well. We’ve had good news in the last training sessions, many players are coming back. Carvajal will be a starter and I haven’t made up my mind about Vinicius. I’ll talk it over with the doctors and with him. In training he has shown he is very, very good. Guler is important that he is well. He is getting back to his best and we should not be in a hurry with him. He is 18 years old and has all the time in the world to be with us. If it’s not tomorrow, it will be in the next game.
Ancelotti said as reported by Fabrizio Romano

Real Madrid’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, is upbeat about the team’s second-half prospects with the return of key players. Captain Dani Carvajal and star forward Vinicius Jr. are recovering well, and possibly ready for action soon. Ancelotti also mentioned Turkish talent Arda Guler, recovered from injury, hinting at a cautious debut against Mallorca.

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Additionally, the Italian coach addressed the status of French players Eduardo Camavinga and Ferland Mendy, both sidelined due to injuries, expressing optimism about their imminent return to fitness. He briefly touched upon the goalkeeper selection for the rest of the season and acknowledged the contract expiration of some veteran stars.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti brushes aside rumors of signing a new center-back, despite injury crisis

Carlo Ancelotti dismissed the possibility of signing a defender this transfer window, expressing confidence in Real Madrid‘s current squad to manage despite the absence of key center-backs Eder Militao and David Alaba. Militao has been sidelined since August with an ACL tear, while Alaba sustained a similar injury against Villarreal on December 17.

Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti (via Reuters)

The manager of Los Blancos believes that the current center-back duo, Antonio Rudiger and Nacho, can offer support during the injured players’ absence and has faith in their defensive skills. Additionally, he noted the versatility of midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and right-back Dani Carvajal to potentially play in the central defensive role if required.

We are missing two very important centre-backs but we won’t sign in January. We have Nacho and Rüdiger, plus there are others who could fill that position. So right now we aren't considering a signing. I'll repeat myself: yes, we won't sign.

This stance indicates a shift from earlier statements hinting at potential signings due to the extended injury woes, signaling that they won’t pursue a new center-back in the January transfer window.

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