Ancelotti’s eternal doubt

Madrid returns to the old ways: ten players are indisputable, but a vacancy dances every day, the right wing. The most latent debate in Chamartín. One cannon to starboard with alternating owners. Asensioafter his whiplash against Granada, detonated a boom that made him secure the position through meritocracy. It seemed the end of the runrún, even the consecration of an eleven type without weak links. But it lasted a month. Asensio curdled an insipid tie against the PSGboth in Paris, where he had more excuse (because the general level bordered on the very poor), and in Madrid, where he got up from the chair. In Mallorca he went to the bench, Rodrygo came out and this… He didn’t hit the table. Conclusion: the debate is back; the endless story.

And in view of Classic, makes it hotter than ever. “I will choose based on the characteristics of each match”, Ancelotti pointed out weeks ago when asked about both players. And with that argument on the table, the logical thing would be to think that Rodrygo will play on Sunday -as long as the inconvenience with which he left Mallorca allows it-, since he was chosen for the match of the first round, in the Camp Nou (1-2). But Ancelotti’s last ace appears in this poker deck, that of ‘if you do it well, you continue; if you lower your performance, you leave’. Following that thesis, the Brazilian’s bland game this Monday should relegate him to the bench.

As far as numbers are concerned, Asensio win. has played 1,606 minutes this season across all competitions (1,247′ in the League; 159′ in the Champions League; 132′ in the Cup; and 68′ in the Super Cup), spread over 31 games. In them he has signed 10 goals, one every 160 minutes. His most outstanding performance was against his former team, Mallorca, but at the crossroads of the first round: scored a hat-trick to execute the Balearic Islands with an overwhelming 6-1. The key to his soccer explosion was uncovering the peephole of the sniper that he has on his left leg. With him, for example, she also broke the glorious Alaves wall. “He is being decisive, either opening games or sentencing them,” he said. Carletto.

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Rodrygo, meanwhile, is in the rear, but very close. At least in minutes, because where it loses overwhelmingly is in the pulse of gunpowder: he has only scored two goals in 34 games. has disputed 1,497 minutes among all competitions (775′ in the League; 340′ in the Champions League; 266′ in the Cup; and 116′ in the Super Cup), reaping a ratio of one goal every 749 minutes. Where he wins by goals is in assists: He has seven, for only one from Asensio (in the Champions League, against Shakhtar). Against him PSG came out and breathed revolution in the revolutionary second part. But against Mallorca he returned to the version of your private quagmire.

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A Plan C

There are more cards besides Asensio and Rodrygo, but they are underused. The most feasible, given the data, would be Lucas Vazquezincreasingly assiduous to the side. Such is the case, that this course he has only played six games as a winger, for 22 as a side. Other options would be bale (with 270 minutes this season, of which 74′ were at La Cerámica and 193′, in the first three days), hazard (877 minutes… And a goal, against Elche in the epic comeback) or even Faith Valverde, who in his range of versatility has also shown to be able to fulfill as a winger. Remote elections for a position that, once again, is debating eye between two extremes that resurrect their particular pulse: Asensio and Rodrygo. The right wing, after a month of Balearic tyranny, has once again become an orphan.