The situation
Ferland Mendy returns to the starting box. The French winger starts his fourth season at Real Madrid with an uncertainty similar to the one he faced when he arrived at the white dressing room in 2019 as a bet from Zidane after paying 48 million euros to Lyon. Then Mendy had the challenge of contesting the position of a club legend, as well as a player much loved by the fans, like Marcelo. With time and work, he ended up winning the pulse of the Brazilian. He now faces a new challenge, to open a gap before the competition of David Alaba. The signing of Rüdiger moved Alaba to the left back , the position in which he grew as a footballer and in which Ancelotti also placed him at Bayern after Guardiola had ‘uncovered’ his conditions as a central defender. The configuration of the squad last season meant that the white coach, despite some at the start of the season with the Austrian on the side, placed the former Bayern player as Militao’s partner at the center of the defense. But now, the arrival of the German will return him to the side. That will see the 27-year-old Mendy now assume a rotation role . It remains to be seen to what extent.
The details
His relevance in the team will depend on how Ancelotti manages the absences of Militao and Rüdiger. If he opts for Nacho as a replacement or prefers to promptly return Alaba to the center of defense. Given this situation, the club is open to listening to offers for the player, who has lost the label of untouchable on the white market. Mendy has played around 35 games in each of his three seasons, which has translated into an average of 2,800 minutes played. His presence on the pitch has been a talisman for Real Madrid. Of the 73 league games in which he has participated, Madrid has only lost five . The data gains strength if only the games in which he has been a starter are taken into account. A balance of 47 wins, 14 draws and only two losses in 63 appearances in the starting eleven with Zidane and Ancelotti. An ‘amulet’ that this campaign will have to fight more than ever for his position.