Real Madrid vs. Getafe: 3 players who must step up with Toni Kroos suspended

CM Antonio Blanco

There is no guarantee that Antonio Blanco starts or even plays on Tuesday night at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, but I have a good feeling that we will see the Castilla standout make his Real Madrid debut with the first team in the 2020-2021 season.

We have already seen opportunities for Sergio Arribas, Victor Chust, and Marvin Park this season, and it is only a matter of time before Blanco gets a shot. He is the most promising of the four young players, and now he is the most important in the squad after Martin Odegaard’s loan opened up a space for him as an emergency midfielder.

Well, this is an emergency for the Royal Whites. Because Real will be without Fede Valverde due to injury, Toni Kroos due to suspension, and, likely, Isco due to a back injury he suffered shortly before the match against Huesca.

Blanco is an interesting fit in midfield, and it could mean Zinedine Zidane rolls with a double-pivot again if Blanco starts. We saw Luka Modric and Toni Kroos shine in this setup earlier this season, though a double-pivot of Casemiro and Blanco would certainly carry a different flavor, especially against a team like Getafe that thrives on forcing errors in the opposition’s final third.