For a while now, a promising group of youngsters have been asking Ancelotti for more playing time. They haven't been doing so with words, but with goals or lovely shows of talent in the few minutes they have been given to strut their stuff out on the pitch. Some of them – for example, Casemiro – are now missing in action.
However, Carlo now feels that the football calendar might provide him with an opportunity to give these young players the chance they need to shine. There are games coming up against teams that, on paper at least, shouldn't be too difficult to deal with, and games that are not 'all or nothing'. This is the case in the Champions League, where they are to play Galatasaray at home and then a last game against København.
The players in with the loudest shout are Jesé, Morata, Nacho, Carvajal, Di María and Isco. The youth academy is waiting for its chance to pounce. With Benzema's all-assisting, all-scoring improvement, Morata has seen himself resigned to the bench. Jesé has also not had much of a look-in. Every time he has run out onto the pitch, it has only been for a few minutes. That said, in the total 90 minutes in which he has played, he has put in some good performances.
Another youngster with options to play is Nacho. He was a starter against Getafe, but has more players vying for his position than anybody – Pepe, Ramos and Varane. The King's Cup and the Champions League might provide him with the break that he is waiting for.
Casemiro has been the great 'one hit wonder' of the pre-season. Before the season kicked off, he was the third player to have played the most minutes. He also played 80 minutes in the first three games of La Liga and Xabi's injury put him in good stead to be in the starting XI. Alas, this roaring start has sizzled out, and the young player is now nowhere to be seen.
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