Real Madrid: Who should replace Carvajal against PSG?

Dani Carvajal is suspended from participating in Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with PSG. Who should replace him in the lineup – Nacho, or Achraf?

Dani Carvajal has found himself suspended from the first leg of Madrid’s Round of 16 clash against PSG in the Champions League after UEFA ruled that he purposefully sought to get a yellow card to clear his record earlier in the competition. That leaves Zinedine Zidane with some tough choices to make ahead of that fixture.

Two clear options exist for the replacement right-back position: Nacho Fernandez and Achraf Hakimi. Which one gives Zidane the better chance of getting Los Blancos through against PSG?

There are strengths and weaknesses to each. Achraf has shown a ton of promise in his limited appearances earlier in the season. His pace and energy offer Madrid an explosive force going forward on the right. The young Moroccan looks like he may have a big future ahead of him at Real Madrid, and Zidane has made his coaching career off of giving youngsters the opportunity to shine in big moments.

However, Achraf has a lot of weaknesses too. At times he’s looked like he’s not quite up to the level of competition, making poor mistakes which cost Madrid goals. It’s hard to blame the guy for his relative inexperience – he’s only 19 years old. But still, Achraf is still very much a raw product, making him a bit of a wild card defensively.

Nacho, on the other hand, has been a stalwart at the back for Real Madrid. As everything else seems to be collapsing around him, Nacho continues to turn in solid (if perhaps unremarkable) performances pretty much every time he’s on the pitch.

Nacho’s problem, if anything, is that he’s such a jack of all trades, that he really is a master of none. Nacho has no problem slipping into any of the four positions along the back line. He began his career as a right-back, and has deputized admirably for Carvajal in that spot before. But Nacho does have some problems defending aerially, and can occasionally get muscled off the ball.

So, which one deserves to get the nod from Zidane? Nacho or Achraf?

In my opinion, Nacho should be the one to replace Dani Carvajal in the lineup. Real Madrid already have weaknesses on the flank, with Marcelo’s tendency to bomb forward often creating problems in defense on the left. With Nacho in the lineup, Madrid will have a steady presence on the side that Neymar prefers to terrorize. I worry about Achraf’s youth and inexperience in the face of Neymar’s trickery and guile.

Next: Courtois wants a return to Real Madrid

Nacho has played on the biggest stages before, and that big-game, title-winning experience will serve him well in this must-win fixture. Nacho is solid at both ends of the pitch, and will do much better to contain PSG’s blistering attack than Achraf would. Achraf is going to be a star one day, but against PSG in a match to keep Madrid’s only remaining trophy hope alive is not the time to let him shine.

Stay tuned to The Real Champs for more coverage of Real Madrid vs PSG.