Nacho Fernandez’s Persistent Struggle for a Starting Role at Real Madrid

Despite the dip in form of his teammates, Real Madrid’s captain, Nacho Fernandez, once again finds himself on the periphery of the starting lineup. This situation is reminiscent of last summer when the 33-year-old came close to parting ways with the club after spending much of the first half of the season on the bench. Following increased playing time in the spring, Nacho opted to stay and assumed the captain’s armband, taking over from Karim Benzema.

While the scenario this season is not as dire, with Nacho featuring in nine out of the opening 14 games, he has started in five of them and missed two due to suspension following a red card against Girona. “I thought I deserved to play more,” Nacho expressed last season, and it’s notable that despite Eder Militao’s injury and David Alaba’s struggles in conceding goals, Nacho continues to be omitted from key matches under Ancelotti’s management.

Carlo Ancelotti’s decisions risk placing Nacho in a situation similar to last season. Nevertheless, with a less congested fixture list, Nacho might see increased involvement. Regardless, Ancelotti has consistently placed his trust in star players to deliver in pivotal encounters.