Operation Anfield

To reach Anfield, one must go through Butarque. That's right. Real Madrid and Ancelotti are clear about this. Not only will they not rest players in Leganés this Saturday with the crucial battle in Liverpool for this Champions League campaign in mind, but it will also serve as the great rehearsal. Madrid needs to test three key positions before the break: once again the need to deploy Fede Valverde as a right-back; whether youth product Raúl Asencio is ready to take on the challenge of being a starter; and finally, how Brahim fits alongside Mbappé and Vinicius in the attacking trio. Butarque will reveal the conclusions.

The most significant aspect is Valverde's repositioning. Asencio and Brahim will stay in their usual roles. It is the impetuous Uruguayan who will need to grapple with a right-back position that is not entirely foreign to him, yet remains a tricky assignment. The Charrúa has played four times as a right-back during his time at Madrid. His first experience in that role, also out of necessity, was during his loan at Deportivo in the 2017-18 season. Interestingly, all four appearances as a Madridista have been split between two coaches, Zidane and Ancelotti, and across two different competitions: La Liga with the Italian and the Champions League with the French. In fact, one could argue that there is a fifth match to consider, if we count the closing stages of the defeat against Sheriff Tiraspol (1-2) in the 2021-22 Champions League.

The option of playing as a right-back is not something that Valverde particularly loves, but Fede remains fully committed to the team. This sacrifice aligns with his journey to becoming one of the key figures in the dressing room, where he has already taken on the role of fourth captain with honors. The number 8 as a number 2 returns in Leganés.

In contrast, Brahim will have a much simpler task, although still under pressure. The Málaga native does not need to alter his usual modus operandi, which is to enter from the right flank. He did this when Rodrygo had to be substituted due to injury against Osasuna (which keeps him out of Butarque and Anfield), providing an assist to Vinicius. This is his opportunity to close the gap between himself and Rodrygo in the pecking order and establish himself as the first option without the Brazilian number 11, ahead of Güler and Endrick. The best build-up for Butarque and Anfield has been… Gabón and Lesoto. During the break, Brahim scored five goals for Morocco against both teams.

The big unknown right now for Anfield, unless Tchouameni can shorten his recovery time, is Raúl Asencio. It’s not about his physical state, which is spotless. The pace of football is much faster than other professions, but what he is facing is beyond the norm. Exactly one month before this match in Liverpool, where nearly 60,000 voices will sing You'll Never Walk Alone, the Canary Islander played against Algeciras in a semi-empty Di Stéfano stadium. This season, he has only faced two forwards with experience in La Liga, the Argentine Agustín Coscia (who had a brief spell at Rosario Central) and a classic from our football, José Callejón, who scored in Marbella's 1-0 victory against Castilla. A rookie, but earning the club's trust.

Madrid sees Asencio as the ideal pivot until Tchouameni returns and reserves the role of third central defender for him until Alaba receives the green light from the club's medical and rehabilitation staff. However, even this theoretical temporality must be earned at Madrid. The general examination for the academy product will take place in Butarque.