Just when Real Madrid was preparing to brag about establishing some consistency and steadiness in the midfield, the mastermind behind this feat, Dani Ceballos, went down injured in the 65th minute in the club's Copa Del Rey encounter on Thursday.
Following tests, Real Madrid confirmed that the player had sustained a left hamstring injury. As a result, Ceballos is not likely to return until the following two months of play.
It is clear that, given the upcoming schedule of crucial games such as the Copa Del Rey semifinal, the Champions League Round of 16, and title-deciding games in La Liga, the club will need to make provision for a good replacement who brings the same quality and workrate that has been withdrawn due to the injury.
Carlo Ancelotti enlists possible Ceballos replacements
In the pre-match press conference for Los Blancos' match against Real Betis, manager Carlo Ancelotti hinted at prospective replacements that he is analyzing and testing, as well as his willingness to fill the void that has been created.
When questioned about his plan to reinforce the midfield back and Camavinga, the manager stated (as per Sports Illustrated):
"People forget that Camavinga played in a Champions League final and he's perfectly capable of playing in defensive midfield. Kroos and Camavinga played as a double pivot. He's ready and has the quality to step in. The same goes for Modrić, Valverde and Tchouameni. It's a shame because Ceballos was really contributing to the team. But we'll replace him, as we always do."
The Italian has obviously previously thought through and developed the strategy to strengthen the midfield. His statements imply that he has reestablished faith in Camavinga, which might lead to more minutes for the French youth. Valverde, too, will be regarded in his customary function rather than the right-back adjustment, since Ancelotti stated that he favours the idea to keep Raul Asencio at the position.
Luka Modric, Madrid's number ten, might also be trusted with greater and regular minutes on the squad. Los Blancos will once again take advantage of his worth in high-stakes contests. Ancelotti's remarks meant the same thing:
"Luka can play, he's got no issues, he's one of the few who hasn't had any problems. He's physically fine and even more so following the Girona game. I don't think there's any problem with him playing two games in a row. The data we have shows he's in great shape."
Many claims have been made, and even more have been believed. The game with Real Betis is scheduled over the next several hours. It will be intriguing to watch how Ancelotti devises the midfield deployment strategy.