The malagueño, who scored five goals during the FIFA window, will be the third man. Courtois returns, Valverde will play as a right-back, and Asencio will be in the starting lineup. The culé setback encourages Madrid.
After facing a newly promoted opponent still feeling the effects of the FIFA break and with Anfield looming on the horizon, the Madrid side is tempted to overlook the clash at Butarque until Barcelona stumbled in Vigo, as they did in San Sebastián, making them a target for the Whites. This is a hunting day, and also a testing ground for a lineup that must necessarily undergo a dramatic transformation due to six injuries that have particularly depleted their defensive line. It’s a big match for an unexpected Leganés: they were not predicted to ascend but finished as Segunda champions and feel safe and happy with their 14 points. Three victories in their last four matches is the latest news about them (follow the match live on As.com).
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Forecasts point to Valverde as the right-back, a position he has only occupied four times since joining Madrid, twice in the Champions League and twice in La Liga. The last two instances, however, came under Ancelotti, and neither ended well: three draws and one defeat. Furthermore, the Uruguayan is one of three internationals who played two full matches for their countries. Therefore, the youth central defender Diego Aguado, a diamond from the academy but without any experience in top-level football, is making his first appearance in the selected squad. With Alaba, Militao, and Tchouameni out, Asencio is once again given an opportunity, having impressed on his debut as Madrid tests their resilience ahead of Anfield.
Ancelotti has little maneuvering space in any of his lines, though he finds relief in the fact that only eight players were called up for international duty this time. Seven of them played both matches while three, Bellingham, Valverde, and Vinicius, played the full 180 minutes. All will need to replicate that performance today. The most invigorated player is Brahim, who netted five goals in just 124 minutes with Morocco. With Rodrygo out and Ancelotti’s recent struggles with the 4-4-2 formation, Brahim is much closer to a starting spot to form a trio alongside Mbappé and Vinicius. The Frenchman was not called up by Deschamps, a positive note for him and perhaps for Madrid, as he is experiencing an alarming goal-scoring crisis. He hasn’t found the net in four matches, all played at the Bernabéu, after 21 shots, nine of which were on target. Against Osasuna, he was more frequently on the left than in any other game, but against Milan, he leaned more to the right, taking nine shots, a record for this season. Nevertheless, his playing time is undisputed, as reflected in the data: 92.3% of the minutes played.
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Vinicius’ performance with Brazil hasn’t been stellar in these two matches. He didn’t score and missed a crucial penalty against Venezuela, but back at Madrid, he is at his peak again: 12 goals, eight of which in La Liga, where only Lewandowski surpasses him, and seven assists. He decides matches without assistance from anyone. The same goes for Courtois, who makes his return today. He hasn’t played since October 22, and during his absence, Madrid has suffered three defeats this season. The wall is set to rise again today.
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In Leganés, the FIFA Virus has affected them less. Only Cameroonian Neyou and Guinean Cissé had games with their national teams since Ivory Coast didn’t call up Sebastien Haller, who has been absent from the team for the last three rounds. The star of the team is struggling to adapt. He scored in every team he played for (Auxerre, Utrecht, Eintracht) and had a successful stint at West Ham, but when he joined Ajax, he was a hit. In his second season, he scored 34 goals, prompting Borussia Dortmund to sign him as Haaland’s replacement. That summer, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer from which he recovered, yet his level has never returned to the same heights. Last season, he started just six times and netted three goals. His loan to Leganés at the transfer deadline was a bit of a surprise, but his impact on the team has been minimal thus far. He has yet to score, and Miguel de la Fuente, hero of the rise to Primera, has taken his place.
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On the other side is Juan Cruz, who has scored five goals and has been a true sensation for the team. An Argentine raised in Málaga, he was picked up by Betis’ B team. He had few opportunities in the first team and was loaned out last winter to Leganés. His immediate effect was undeniable: four goals, two assists, and a spectacular introduction contributed to their promotion and triggered the one-million-euro buyout clause. “I sought a step back to take two steps forward. I spoke with Aitor Ruibal, and he had great things to say about Leganés. Since they called me, I was almost decided,” he revealed. A left-footer and an admirer of Isco, he is the favorite player at Butarque but still has to ensure some consistency in his brilliance.
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An Unprecedented Crisis for Guardiola
Today, Madrid will face a team capable of playing with very different setups, even within a single match. That is Borja Jiménez’s plan, a young coach (39 years) making his Primera debut after a career that has climbed from low to high, achieving the merit of having not been an elite player. He started in the academy of Milan in Ávila, never believing he would make a living from football until he managed Ávila, then was called by Valladolid for his youth setup. He later moved to Izarra, Rápido de Bouzas, Mirandés (where he secured promotion to Segunda), Greek Asteras, Cartagena (his second promotion), and Depor (came within six minutes of relegating them to the lower division).
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In Leganés, he was tasked with ensuring their survival, and he has brought them to Primera. Today he will look to limit Madrid’s space, the prolific scorers of Vinicius and Mbappé. He will miss his starting left-back, Franquesa, who tore his cruciate ligament, but he recovers Peruvian Renato Tapia in search of a third upset against Madrid. The first two were in the Cup, eliminating Zidane’s team in the quarter-finals (2018). In La Liga, however, victory remains elusive.
