Ancelotti declares ‘EMERGENCY SITUATION’ at Real Madrid

Robin Bairner

Updated: 5 Feb 2025 05:12 CST
3 min read

Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has said there is an “emergency situation” at the Bernabeu currently.

Los Blancos failed to make any headway at all in the January transfer window, not landing a single signing despite claims that they were ready to spend up to €30 million to bring a right-back to the club following a serious injury to Dani Carvajal.

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The problems have mounted for the Champions League winners since, with Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba both struck by injury issues. Eder Militao is also out, leaving the club chronically short of numbers in defence – an area where they went into the season short following Nacho Fernandez’s summer departure.

Ancelotti was asked about Real Madrid’s lack of transfer activity and gave a frank assessment.

“What has happened is that unfortunately, we have lost two players in the last two days,” the Italian said.

“Obviously we were not planning for those two injuries. It is an emergency situation that we will deal with as best we can, we did not plan for the injury to Rudiger.

“We have players that can cover, Jacobo Ramon has come back from a long time out injured and can contribute.

“What we have to do is manage an emergency. We have lost two players and we have an emergency. The young players have a chance to show their quality. We showed trust in Asencio against Osasuna, and we will show trust in Jacobo.”

© IMAGO - Antonio Rudiger: One of a number of Real Madrid defenders out injured

Ancelotti defends under fire Tchouameni

So bad is the situation at Real Madrid that Fede Valverde had even been tipped as a centre-back option as Aurelien Tchouameni has come in for criticism when playing that role.

“Valverde will not play at centre-back. He might play some of these games at right-back, but not at centre-back. We have Jacobo, we have Asencio, and we have Tchouameni that we could play at centre-back,” Ancelotti said before focusing on the France international.

“At a defensive level, he is very good. He positions himself well, he has a good tactical knowledge, it helps that he is a defensive pivot. It may be that he plays well there, or a little less well, but he has always done his job. I don’t recall a major error that has cost us. Taking into account he played there a lot last season too, I don’t remember anything.”

Real Madrid play Leganes in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday at the start of a busy period in which they will also face Atletico Madrid and Manchester City twice.