Ancelotti’s Success Amidst Squad Limitations: Two Real Madrid Players Not in Plans

Carlo Ancelotti’s second stint at Real Madrid has been a remarkable success, considering the limited squad he has had to work with. Since his surprising return in the summer of 2021, the club has triumphed in all three major competitions, along with the Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Supercopa de Espana. This achievement is even more impressive considering Ancelotti’s recent managerial stint at Everton, which seemed to diminish his career’s prominence.

Despite the squad’s lack of depth, Ancelotti has been able to extract the best performances from his players. While the 2022/23 campaign may not have been a resounding success, it’s challenging to envision many managers achieving better results under similar circumstances.

However, there are still players who have struggled to break into Ancelotti’s plans. Alvaro Odriozola and Jesus Vallejo are two such individuals. According to reports from Cadena SER, Anton Meana stated, “Vallejo and Odriozola are not part of Ancelotti’s plans, and they have known it since last year. Odriozola may depart, but Vallejo wishes to stay.”

Vallejo, a center-back, finds himself behind Antonio Rudiger, Nacho Fernandez, Eder Militao, and David Alaba in the defensive pecking order. Therefore, it is unlikely that he will receive significant playing time even in the upcoming season, making his desire to remain at the club somewhat surprising.

On the other hand, Odriozola, a right-back, has been given fewer opportunities than expected. With Dani Carvajal no longer performing at his prime level, and with Real Madrid lacking a reliable backup, one would have anticipated Odriozola to feature more prominently.

Recent rumors suggest that Odriozola is nearing a return to Real Sociedad this summer. At this point, a parting of ways appears to be a sensible decision for both the player and the club.