It is the trying times for Zinedine Zidane as he prepares to face Atalanta in the UEFA Champions league round of 16.
Zidane’s Side Real Madrid has been inconsistent since his defender Dan Carvajal sustained injury this year.
Zidane has a little more than seven days to prepare enough until his first champions league round of 16 against Serie A side Atalanta. Real Madrid must prepare well enough to face the high-octane attacking side without one of their best defenders Dan Carvajal
Over the past year Dani Carvajal has been coupled with injury issues and while the defender was doing well and healthy in the 2019-2020 season campaign, he was dealt with nagging muscular issues this year an issue that worries manager Zinedine Zidane on the perfect replacement.
On Sunday Madridistas were so happy and excited to see him feature in Zidane’s line up against Valencia but that was so short-lived as the star right back was substituted in the first half following a reaggravation of his injury.
Referencing to a report seen from Tomas Gonzalez-Martin of ABC Deportes an article in Spanish, Dan Carvajal will miss the fixture against serie A side Atalanta on Feb 24 due to the injury sustained.
The right back star Daniel Carvajal has been instrumental to Real Madrid defense as the Real Madrid have not lost a single game with Carvajal in the starting XI this season. However out of 19 games in which he has been out of the fixtures, Real Madrid have only managed to win nine of those matches clearly showing his impact in the club.
His impact in Real Madrid’s defense is so profound. Prior to this injury, Madridistas were discussing the impact of Atalanta losing Papu Gomez. But now that Atalanta are through to the Coppa Italia Final without the current Sevilla playmaker, the focus is squarely on how Los Blanco’s will cope without the world’s best big-game right back and also without captain Sergio Ramos next Wednesday night.
Although Sergio Ramos’ impact would usually overshadow any other absence in the field,Dan Carvajal’s injury is now the bigger deal.
With the Los Blanco’s experiencing a couple of injuries, Real Madrid pair Raphael Varane and Nacho Fernandez have been working so close and well together in the central defense. Fede Valverde has been out, and forwards Rodrygo Goes and Eden Hazard are, like Ramos, long-term absences.
Without Carvajal available, the focus turns to Lucas Vazquez, who was good against Valencia and was even better in his last Champions League outing vs. Borussia Monchengladbach.
Atalanta’s Robin Gosens is going to be one tough matchup for the Galician winger defensively. And if Vazquez has a glaring weakness, then it is, as Shakhtar Donetsk and Athletic Club exposed, his understandable lack of 100 percent comfort as a right back.
Atalanta won their serie A match against Cagliari who were seeking to win their first match since November by 1:0 at the Sardegna Arena.
Real Madrid have shown a lot of character this season, and their response in the first leg against an aggressive, high-flying Atalanta’s side will be vital.
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