Ancelotti Desperate, His Favorite Player Won't Be Available Against Betis, New Absence

Real Madrid is rushing training sessions at the Valdebebas Sports City with the preparation for the clash against Real Betis on the competitive horizon. Carlo Ancelotti's pupils, after the victory in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals, continue to fight for the LaLiga leadership.

They must not fail, since the distance from the other two title contenders is minimal: they are tied on points with FC Barcelona, one point behind Atlético de Madrid. This extremely tight situation makes the Reggiolo coach wish to have the best footballers he has in Santiago Bernabéu locker room, a request that will not be fulfilled soon.

One of the most untimely injuries is, without a doubt, Dani Ceballos's. The Utrera-born '19' managed to take charge of play creation by positioning himself at the base of the tactical scheme. The Italian strategist seemed to have found in the Sevillian midfielder the replacement for Toni Kroos that he had missed so much since the start of the current season.

The two months without Dani Ceballos are a major problem that must be solved by changing the available pieces. One of the players who aspired to be essential in that reorganization of the engine room, however, has missed the last training session held at Ciudad Real Madrid. The fact that Fede Valverde is not present in a preparatory session for a match of this importance in the season doesn't leave a good feeling among Madrid fans.

Still Not Clear

The information published by Jorge Picón warns that "Fede Valverde's situation is more serious than expected". It's not surprising, since the footballer was left out of Carlo Ancelotti's plans for the duel at the Reale Arena in the Copa del Rey semifinals. The same will happen in this match against Real Betis, where Real Madrid is playing for the chance to win LaLiga.

The physical condition of the Uruguayan '8', according to the 'Relevo' journalist, raises considerable doubts. While it's true that he played infiltrated against Manchester City in the Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti decided to give him a rest knowing that the South American all-rounder needed a break. Thus, the coaching staff would have preferred not to risk with an absolutely essential footballer for the tactical schemes.

Jorge Picón points out that Fede Valverde "is doubtful for the match against Betis". He also reveals that "he will push deadlines to be ready for the match against Atlético de Madrid", a Champions League clash too important in the season to miss.

Finally, the time has come for Fede Valverde to rest, but his physical condition raises all the alarms at Ciudad Real Madrid. The Merengue trainers, as well as the medical services, will do everything possible to ensure that the midfielder recovers in time and returns at the most opportune moment of this campaign.