Kylian Mbappe has made a strong start at Real Madrid (was there ever any doubt?), but now he’s been ruled out for around three weeks with a thigh injury.
The 25-year-old Frenchman has scored seven times and provided an assist in his first nine games for Madrid in all competitions so far this term — and netted on his debut in the UEFA Super Cup victory against Europa League champions Atalanta back in August.
On Tuesday night, Madrid made tough work of a 3-2 home win against Deportivo Alaves and Mbappe was taken off with 10 minutes to play (when Carlo Ancelotti’s side were 3-0 up).
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Arda Guler came on to replace him — but the Turkish 19-year-old is just one of the options to step in over the coming weeks. Ancelotti might look to 18-year-old Brazilian Endrick instead, or even change formation to accommodate Luka Modric.
Let’s take a look at who might replace Mbappe in Madrid’s starting line-up.
Endrick
Many Madrid fans would love to see more of Endrick — he has already found the net twice in his debut season and won a (contentious) penalty against Espanyol, despite only spending 47 minutes on the pitch across seven appearances.
But Ancelotti is not the type of coach to start such a raw and inexperienced talent — not in a match as crucial as Sunday’s trip to Atletico Madrid in La Liga, at any rate. Madrid were already four points behind league leaders Barcelona before Tuesday’s win (Barca play at home against Getafe tonight) — and victory means they are 39 games unbeaten in Spain’s top flight. The last time they lost? Last season at Atletico’s Metropolitano stadium in late September.
Ancelotti suggested that Endrick would get his first start in one of Madrid’s last two games against Espanyol and Alaves, but that did not happen. Madrid would lose a potentially game-changing option from the bench if he were to start against Atletico.
Endrick has been an impact substitute so far (Mateo Villalba/Getty Images)
Before Mbappe’s injury, the coaching staff had already discussed the possibility of changing Madrid’s 4-3-3 system this week and using a fourth midfielder in a 4-4-2 formation. Endrick would have even less of a chance of starting in that case given Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo are Madrid’s first-choice forwards.
“Balance is a collective work: you can achieve it with two forwards or with three,” Ancelotti told a press conference before the Espanyol game, when asked about a possible change of system.
“I remember in the Champions League (final against Liverpool) in Paris we played with three forwards, but we had a perfect balance. Adding an extra midfielder doesn’t guarantee more control. Balance can come through a compact team that sacrifices and fights.”
Luka Modric
Which brings us nicely to Modric. The Croatian seems like the most likely option to replace Mbappe if Madrid choose to use four midfielders against Atletico — but there’s a catch.
Modric started that defeat by Atletico at the Metropolitano last season alongside Toni Kroos in a diamond formation. Madrid were overrun and the defeat forced Ancelotti to change his system, using Bellingham and Federico Valverde as midfielders who would protect the full-backs when the team were defending. Modric was dropped to the bench for much of the season, starting 23 of 53 possible games as Madrid won a La Liga-Champions League double.
The Athletic reported that Modric was unhappy with that secondary role and said he hadn’t been warned he would be playing it when he signed his previous extension in 2023. There were doubts as to whether he would stay on — but in May he agreed a new one-year extension. That followed Kroos’ shock decision to retire at 34, although Modric’s renewal was unrelated.
Modric, 39, has started just three matches this season but Ancelotti sees him as a safe bet given his constant ambition. The coaching staff still think he is in peak physical condition and can easily play 90 minutes or more, especially if there are games in which he is rested. He seems to be more important so far this campaign, having played 353 minutes compared to 287 at the same stage last term.
Now club captain after Nacho’s exit in the summer, Modric is the favourite to start after coming on for the last 20 minutes of the Alaves win.
Arda Guler
Guler thrilled fans at the European Championship and has continued that form into this season. Even so, he has started just three times. He is not a physical player and lacks experience, both of which count against him for a game this significant.
Guler has been exciting this season but may not start against Atletico (David S. Bustamante/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
Ancelotti has publicly said Guler can help in build-up play and could start further back, but he has been used as an attacking midfielder in the eight matches he has played across all competitions. He has even less of a chance of playing there given that Bellingham and Valverde are expected to occupy those advanced spaces from midfield against Atletico and someone with more defensive nous will be needed alongside Aurelien Tchouameni in deep midfield.
Guler will have plenty of opportunities to feature this season, but a key clash with Atletico is not an ideal scenario for the youngster to start.
Camavinga is on his way back from a knee injury sustained in training before the August UEFA Super Cup that means the Frenchman has yet to play this season.
The 21-year-old midfielder is expected to be fit enough to make the squad, but it seems unlikely that Ancelotti would start him after a month and a half out. The only argument for starting him without being 100 per cent fit would be based on how Modric struggled against Atletico’s pace this time last year — but it still wouldn’t make a lot of sense.
(Top photo: Getty Images)
