ANTONIO BLANCO – MIDFIELDER
Antonio Blanco has played only one game so far this season in La Liga. The promising midfielder just has 31 minutes under his belt as he faces stiff competition to earn a spot ahead of Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde.
Real Madrid fans were treated to Blanco’s technical ability last season during the final stretch when Zinedine Zidane gave several youngsters from the Castilla an opportunity in the first team. Antonio Blanco displayed great technical ability and maturity in his decision making which eventually sealed his place in the senior squad.
I myself was excited to see what lies ahead for Blanco in the new season under a new manager. But so far into the new term, the 21-year-old has only one game under his belt. While his current situation at the club is not favourable, there could be major changes around the corner.
Federico Valverde is expected to miss a handful of weeks after spraining his knee. Casemiro has honestly been sub-par for the majority of this season and Ancelotti could consider dropping the Brazilian and giving Blanco a shot to fill in the role. It would be a reality check for Casemiro ( who practically has never had to compete for a spot in the eleven) while it would be a huge morale booster for the young Antonio Blanco.
Antonio Blanco is in the squad against Rayo Vallecano and will be hoping to start his first game of the season. However, Carlo Ancelotti will have to decide between Blanco, Camavinga, and Casemiro for the CDM position.
In most cases, it looks like Ancelotti will give Casemiro the nod ahead of the other two youngsters. The Italian is a bit stubborn when it comes to rotations but he’s also great at man-management and will know exactly when to play certain players to keep their morale high. On that note, I am certain that Ancelotti had a word with Antonio Blanco about his role and will certainly give him more minutes as the season progresses.