The D-day is finally here as Real Madrid take on Arsenal tonight in what could be one of the team’s most important matches this season.
With pressure mounting on Carlo Ancelotti, the Italian has to once again come up with a formula to defeat the Gunners and maintain the team’s supremacy in the Champions League.
This is despite the fact that Real Madrid are heading into this game with a depleted squad, no thanks to a fresh batch of injuries.
Indeed, Ancelotti has found himself in a familiar soup, with the coaching especially lacking defensive options due to injuries.
According to COPE, Real Madrid’s ongoing injury crisis could even force Ancelotti to field both Lucas Vazquez and David Alaba in the starting eleven against Arsenal.
This could be a surprising decision, but one that makes sense as Ancelotti might not be able to afford playing Federico Valverde at right-back once again.
Vazquez, therefore, remains the best available option. But things get more interesting on the other flank.
Although Alaba is undisputedly a more accomplished defender, the Austrian has played very little football this season.
But the report seems to suggest that the former Bayern Munich star could operate in the left-back position, ahead of Fran Garcia.
This could prove to be a risky move as Alaba hasn’t featured in the left-back position in quite a while now. Moreover, he has gotten much slower which could be a problem given Arsenal’s pacy wingers out wide.
But it appears Ancelotti considers Alaba a better defender than Garcia, which is why he is more than willing to field the Austrian in the left-back position.