Real Madrid’s Academy Steps In
The injury crisis affecting Real Madrid has opened the door for La Fábrica. For the match against Elche, Álvaro Arbeloa could turn to as many as seven academy players while chasing Barcelona in the LaLiga title race.
An Injury-Ravaged Squad
The outlook for this weekend’s match is complicated. The Madrid side arrives with several key absences: Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Rodrygo Goes, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, Álvaro Carreras, and Dani Ceballos are all sidelined with injuries, while Franco Mastantuono will miss the game due to suspension.
In response, the coach has decided to rely on several young academy players. Among those who could see minutes are Sergio Mestre, Álvaro González, Diego Aguado, Thiago Pitarch—one of the coach’s favorites who has already been used even in the Champions League—and Manuel Ángel, all products of the club’s youth system.
Academy Players Step Up at a Crucial Moment
This stage of the season is particularly delicate. Any slip-up could allow Barcelona to extend its lead in the title race. The absences also go beyond individual losses: Álvaro Arbeloa has had to make tactical adjustments to adapt to the players available and avoid overworking his regular starters, who have already logged heavy minutes. Just recall the visible fatigue shown by Federico Valverde after the match against Manchester City.
The good news for Real Madrid is the advantage gained in the tie against Manchester City, which provides some room to rotate players. This opens the door for several academy prospects to feature in the clash against Elche, a rival that on paper represents a lesser challenge, although the three points remain essential.
Rotation With Europe in Mind
The match could also serve to rest some regular starters. Andriy Lunin is expected to start in goal against Elche, allowing Thibaut Courtois to recover physically and focus on the second leg against Manchester City, which remains a major challenge despite the current advantage.
Real Madrid needs to recover its key pieces as soon as possible, because the season is entering its decisive phase and the level of demand will only increase. In the meantime, La Fábrica once again emerges as an emergency solution to keep the team competitive.
