“This is a final” is a term we hear quite often, especially from Spanish teams. It usually doesn’t refer to matches that are “finals” but rather games that can make or break a season. The best example of this would be the upcoming Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga.
Currently, Barcelona sit top of the league with a four-point gap. Beat Real Madrid, it’s practically over with a seven-point lead and four games left after that. However, lose to Real Madrid and it’s game on with only a one-point difference.
Carlo Ancelotti and the coaching staff have some massive decisions to make, and cannot think about what would make the upper management happy or not.
They need this win or else the season is over. With injuries to all their starting defenders and already out of the UEFA Champions League and the Copa del Rey, this is their last chance to win a trophy and to start their hunt by beating the team that has beaten them three times already this season.
CB Jacobo Ramon
Jacobo has made two appearances so far this season and both haven’t been the greatest.
It’s worth noting that he was one of the players that fans had their eyes on to make the step up alongside Joan Martínez, who suffered an ACL injury ahead of the season.
Real Madrid have no central defenders from the starting lineup aside from Raul Asencio, who was originally part of the Castilla squad as well.
Usually, he wouldn’t start a game of this magnitude, but with the issues to the central defenders, a discussion is bound to happen. With Lucas Vazquez on the right, this is a risk they just cannot afford to take, and Aurélien Tchouaméni should be the person lining up alongside Asencio.
RW Brahim Diaz
Brahim Díaz has had a successful season overall at Real Madrid but his recent performances have left a lot to be desired.
Starting him will result in a loss of firepower up front as there are players in the team who are better than him such as Vinicius or Kylian Mbappé and with Barcelona having their own injury issues at the back, this is where Real Madrid needs to ensure that they are firing on all cylinders.
Brahim may be a useful addition off the bench depending on how the game goes, but that in itself could also be risky after his poor performance against Barcelona in the El Clásico final.
RW Rodrygo
This is where the shock may come as Rodrygo has been a regular starter for Real Madrid this season and has been a part of the lineup against every big team so far. However, it doesn’t mean that he has done enough to start this game.
Benching Rodrygo would give Real Madrid the opportunity to play with a 4-4-2 formation, which is what saw the team have a lot of success last season. We saw glimpses of that against Celta Vigo last weekend and it can be successful against Barcelona as well since it gives the team a stronger presence in midfield.
Rodrygo has not reached expectations this season and has been practically non-existent in recent big games as we witnessed most recently in the Copa final. He would be an incredible addition off the bench as nothing can be more dangerous than a talented player who is brought on with something to prove.
It is also worth noting aside from these players that, with this formation, benching Lucas Vázquez could be detrimental. He has been poor this season but having Federico Valverde in the midfield means that the Uruguayan can help in defense while Jude Bellingham, Luka Modric and Arda Güler will all take their place in the middle of the pitch as well.
Big decisions will need to be made and it remains to be seen if Carlo Ancelotti will make the right ones in what seems to be his final Clasico with Real Madrid.