With the international break concluded in November, Real Madrid shifts its focus back to LaLiga, traveling to face Cádiz on the 14th matchday (6:30pm CET). The team aims to secure its eleventh victory at Nuevo Mirandilla, a triumph that could propel Ancelotti's squad to the top of the standings, pending the outcome of matches involving Girona and Athletic Club. Despite their strong defensive record, having allowed only nine goals, Madrid acknowledges the challenge posed by Cádiz, a determined opponent on their home turf, eager to clinch all three points.
About Cadiz: Cádiz, currently 16th in LaLiga, faces a crucial phase in their season with a record of 2 wins, 4 draws, and 6 defeats. The importance of moving away from the relegation zone is paramount, making their upcoming matches, particularly in front of their home fans, pivotal. Darwin Machís and Chris Ramos, both top scorers for the team with 3 goals each, play a critical role in Cádiz's offensive strategy. Their performance will be key as the team seeks to regain momentum and secure vital points to improve their standing in the league and bolster their campaign against relegation.
Taking in consideration the current state of the injured players, Ancelotti has called the following players for this game:
REAL MADRID SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Lunin, Diego Piñeiro, Fran.
Defenders: Carvajal, Alaba, Nacho, Lucas V., Fran García, Rüdiger, Mendy.
Midfielders: Bellingham, Kroos, Modrić, Valverde, Ceballos, Mario Martín, Nico Paz.
Forwards: Rodrygo, Joselu, Brahim, Gonzalo.
Two important absentees are of course Vini Jr and Camavinga. The French midfielder, suffered a ligament tear in his right knee during a practice session with the French national team, as reported by the Spanish club. This medical update follows two days after the injury occurred while Camavinga was preparing for European Championship qualifying matches. The 21-year-old has been an adaptable asset for Madrid's coach Carlo Ancelotti, playing both as a defensive midfielder and a left back. This injury adds to Madrid's growing list of sidelined players, which already includes goalkeeper Courtois Thibaut and central defender Éder Militão, both out with serious leg injuries. Despite the setback, Camavinga has had a significant presence in the team's current season, starting in all four of their Champions League matches and participating in all 13 of their Spanish league games.
Meanwhile, Vinícius Júnior sustained a muscle tear in his left leg while playing for Brazil's national team during a South American World Cup qualifying match, where Brazil lost 2-1 to Colombia. Vinícius, who had to be substituted before halftime, has specifically torn his left femoral bicep, affecting his hamstring tendon. While Real Madrid did not provide a specific recovery timeline, such injuries typically require about two months of recovery. This injury comes at a critical time, as Madrid, already through to the Champions League knockout stage, trails league leader Girona by two points after 13 rounds in the Spanish league. The 23-year-old Vinícius, a key player for Madrid, has contributed significantly this season, scoring six goals, including three in the team's last two matches.
The Boss Ancelotti spoke for the press prior to the game vs Cadiz and touched all of these subjects that worry Real Madrid at this moment, while also explaining what we expect from this game. He had the following to say: "We've had injuries that have hampered us a bit. The squad is solid. We've always been competitive despite the absences of Militão, Courtois, Vinicius and Bellingham. We go into the game full of confidence and we hope that the injured players recover as soon as possible. The team is doing well and we're convinced that we can handle things. Those who have played less have an opportunity. It's an opportunity to show how good the players are that make up this squad."
The fixture schedule: “The calendar cannot be sustained and those who draw it up have to look at what has happened. Now we have this problem and it will increase because there will be a World Cup and a Champions League with more matches. The only solution is to reduce the number of games. If LaLiga, UEFA and FIFA cannot agree, the players can’t do anything. This cannot be done by the players and coaches, it can only be fixed by LaLiga, UEFA and FIFA. But they're doing the opposite because we have more Super Cup, Champions League and World Cup matches. It cannot be solved until this is fixed.”
He added: “It's all good if you reduce the number of matches and that will reduce the number of injuries and improve the quality of the spectacle. I've seen 8-0 games and 14-0 games and I don't know if that makes much sense.”
Lowering salaries in exchange for fewer matches: “It's not a salary issue. If you improve the spectacle, the salary will be the same or better. But that's not the problem. Players and coaches have no problem with lowering the salary if it helps the wellbeing of the players.”
Ceballos and Bellingham return: “I'm not going to use Alaba in midfield because we have options like Ceballos. He's an important player, he's played very little but he'll help us a lot. Bellingham is also returning and he can play inside. We're a player short up front because of the injury to Vinicius. However, we have Brahim and we have also brought in Gonzalo, who has progressed very well in the youth system along with Nico Paz. Vinicius didn't play for a month and we had good results. Without Bellingham we scored five goals against Valencia. When a player gets injured I can see how sad he is, but that can happen.”
Holding-midfielder role: “Valverde can play in the holding midfield position an option, as can Kroos. If we play with a double pivot like in the last few games, we have many options such as Valverde-Kroos, Kroos-Modrić or Kroos-Ceballos. Here we have a lot of solutions.”
Captaincy: “The captain doesn't have to be an undisputed starter, but a leader as Nacho is. As were Marcelo and Sergio Ramos. They're leaders through example, commitment and seriousness. Nacho is the perfect captain, even if he doesn't play every game. He's happy and I talk to him every day. Obviously, everyone wants to play more, but at the moment he's happy with his role.”
Rodrygo and Álvaro Rodríguez: “Rodrygo is doing well. He trained on his own today, but the slight discomfort he had in his knee has gone. He's trained normally and will be available tomorrow. Álvaro did very well when he was selected last year and also with Castilla. Then he slowed down a bit. Now he's back to the same level he was with us, but he gets fewer opportunities because we have his type of profile with Joselu. That's why I prefer to call Gonzalo, as he has a different profile because he can play both as a centre forward and as a winger.”
Xabi Alonso: “I thank Xabi for his comments. I had a great time with him and he was a player with impressive quality as a holding-midfielder. He's had a magnificent career because he has the quality to succeed in this job. He has the knowledge and the personality that a coach requires. I like the way his team plays, he's one of the coaches I like the most along with Thiago Motta, who coaches Bologna. They were two players I had. I'm watching them and they're doing very well. I think Xabi has the profile to coach Madrid because he knows the club and he did very well here.”
Brazil: “I'm proud that one of the biggest national teams in the world, like Brazil, is talking about me. But that's all. I have a contract until 30 June and I'm not going to answer any more questions about my future until something happens.”
Would you wait for Madrid until the final day? "Yes, of course."
Respect for coaches: “I asked for the referees' respect because there are coaches who don't get paid when they are sacked. If they sack me, they may not pay me and that's fine. But another coach who plans his future for two or three years, with his contract, and then doesn't get paid doesn't make sense. When you get fired, you have to get paid. There are many times when you don't get paid and you have to go to court to honour the contract. I wasn't talking about the respect between coaches and referees, but about this aspect.”
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