Ancelotti Sends Arda Güler to His Office: ‘I Know What You’re Going to Tell Me…’
After the comeback against Almería, Real Madrid faces the match against Las Palmas as another final: they have the opportunity to solidify their position as leaders in La Liga, taking advantage of having one game less than Girona, and the draw of the Catalan club two matchdays ago.
In Valdebebas, the atmosphere is already charged with the anticipation of the match: the final training sessions before facing Las Palmas are as intense as usual, but there is a different mentality.
What happened at the Santiago Bernabéu, despite achieving another historic comeback, cannot be repeated.
Therefore, Carlo Ancelotti will use this opportunity to make rotations in the starting eleven. Some changes are necessary due to the physical condition of the players: the accumulation of efforts over two weeks has worn out certain key players.
Other changes are obligatory, such as the absence of Jude Bellingham. After receiving a yellow card in the match against Almería, the ‘5’ serves a suspension in the clash against Las Palmas and is left out of the squad.
This vacant spot in the starting eleven already has a name: Brahim Díaz. The ’21’ becomes the most reliable substitute for Carlo Ancelotti, but the Italian coach has a new problem: finding the ‘substitute for the substitute.’ The answer is also on the bench: Arda Güler. The Turkish ’24’ has been slightly ‘missing’ from the recent Real Madrid matches, but his moment seems to have arrived.
Clearer than ever “I know you’re going to tell me that I always say the same… but it’s true, I want you to play this Saturday,” Carlo Ancelotti told him in a conversation at Valdebebas. This talk, which took place in the coach’s office, aimed to make it clear that Güler will play against Las Palmas much more than it seems. He could play more than 30 minutes.
Arda Güler left this conversation with Carlo Ancelotti somewhat happier. After going through a challenging series of injuries, his return to the sports discipline was expected to be a grand one, but the Italian coach has been ‘restraining’ the excitement with unexpected substitutions in his early games. This rough patch could come to an end against Las Palmas, an ideal context for the Turkish midfielder to prove himself to his coach.
