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Vini Jr.’s injury, which will keep him out until February, creates an opportunity for a new front duo to succeed at Real Madrid.
The injury crisis that has beset Real Madrid has forced the team to go through a difficult period, but there are ways to solve the issues. Given the number of absences at the Santiago Bernabéu, Brahim and Joselu—two of the squad’s fringe players who have been vying for a spot in the first team—will likely play a bigger part in the lineup.
Rodrygo’s knee swelling is a temporary problem, and he was included in the roster for the match against Cádiz (Sun. 26, KO 12.30 p.m. ET / 9.30 a.m. PT). Vinicius Jr. was left off the roster due to a hamstring tear that will keep him out deep into the new year. Real Madrid’s new tandem will need to pull up their socks and get to work while the number “7” is not expected back until at least February.
Joselu or Brahim: who fits best for Real Madrid?
The good news is that the new team has already shown excellent performance as a unit. When they both started in the starting lineup against Las Palmas, Real Madrid won 2-0 because each of them scored a goal. This season, Joselu has already tied Rodrygo with five goals, trailing only Vinicius Jr. with six and Bellingham with thirteen.
Though Brahim’s two goals thus far may not seem like much on the stat sheet, when they are considered in relation to the 90 minutes spent on the field, his numbers start to rise sharply: Jude leads the way here with a goal every 96 minutes, but he shares the podium with both Brahim (one goal every 68 minutes) and Joselu (one goal every 58 minutes).
Joselu, the number “14” for Real Madrid, is possibly the only true striker in the first team lineup this year. With 1.5 headers per game, he is the player with the best eye for goal; poor Bellingham had to make do with second place (0.4).
Brahim, on the other hand, has filled in for the former Birmingham midfield player on a like-for-like basis. He can play in the center of the field or, as he did against Valencia in La Liga, pull out to the left. Because of his direct style of play and constant focus on the goal, he is more at ease in the middle of the field. Vinicius leads the team in dribbling with 3.5 completed dribbles per 90, while Brahim is just slightly behind with 3.4 per game.
Where will Brahim play in Real Madrid’s starting XI?
Brahim will also have the opportunity to gain some experience in Rodrygo’s role on the right flank, where Ancelotti originally placed him during the preseason, given the present circumstances of the season. His inside runs and chemistry with Bellingham as a striker were evident from the start of the 4-3-1-2. With Vinicius out of the picture, Rodrygo becomes Ancelotti’s lone inflexible asset, and the two could contend for the last spot in Real Madrid’s starting lineup against Cádiz.
Naturally, Ancelotti could certainly go against the grain and use the 4-3-3 formation that we have become accustomed to with this squad, with Brahim flying out to the left and physically pressing Bellingham back. Although it appears like a very offensive strategy that may be used, the chance exists, and the match against Cádiz will be the first where we witness Carlo’s choices in the absence of his real star forward.
