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Mendy and Tchouaméni, starters for Real Madrid’s debut in the Copa del Rey?

Ferland Mendy is one of Carlo Ancelotti’s favorite players. The French left-back, in the absence of Rüdiger and Vallejo, is one of the usual executives having the possibility of playing from the start against Deportiva Minera (D4) in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey.

Ancelotti is aware that his team is playing to win in this competition, but despite this, he will take advantage of this meeting to line up a starting eleven with new faces, through young players and with a number of rotations.

The former OL player is a rough defender, capable of also playing as a central hinge although the Italian coach has rarely tested this hypothesis. It could be one of the solutions to the numerous absences that the Madrid team has this Monday. With Carvajal and Militao seriously injured, and Vallejo and Rüdiger out of the group, the Frenchman could occupy this position. Raúl Asencio should start, but it remains to be seen who could accompany him.

Ferland Mendy has started 16 games so far this season and has been unavailable for several weeks due to a leg injury suffered on December 7 in Girona. Currently, in these 16 matches, with Mendy on the pitch, Real Madrid have won 8, lost 5 and drawn 3. A contrasting assessment. It is not his best season, because at the club they know that his performances can be higher, but there is no doubt that the French defender remains a life insurance.

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His power, his ability to win duels against attackers 1 on 1 and his resistance to effort make him a solid defender that Carlo Ancelotti likes. However, the central defender position remains very different from that of full-back, although he has the abilities to play there, as Ancelotti has publicly confirmed on several occasions.

In case Carlo Ancelotti is not confident about putting Mendy in the center of the rearguard, it is highly likely that Aurélien Tchouaméni will end up playing alongside Raúl Asencio. The Italian coach has given Tchouaméni a starting place in the central hinge since his return from injury and it seems that, against Deportiva Minera, he is another of Carlo’s undisputed players who could play from the first minute. Unless the Merengue technician prefers the young Diego Aguado, as Marca reported this Sunday.

This season, so far, he has played 21 matches, 7 of them as a central defender. In all these matches, Madrid remained undefeated, with a total of 6 victories (Espanyol, Villarreal, Girona, Sevilla, Valencia and Atalanta in the Champions League) and a share of points (Rayo Vallecano). Many madridistas have criticized the fate reserved for Raul Asencio, relegated to the substitutes’ bench, but the statistics for the moment prove Tchouaméni right and especially Carletto, who has a small headache as the duel approaches in Copa del Rey.

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