For weeks, Carlo Ancelotti has found it difficult to leave Brahim Díaz out of his Real Madrid starting XI.
Statistically, the Spaniard has become Real Madrid’s unofficial “twelfth man,” consistently proving he deserves a more prominent role.
The first to recognise this has been Ancelotti himself, who has repeatedly turned to Brahim to cover for absent starters. The versatile midfielder has seized every opportunity, to the point where he is now regarded as a full-fledged starter in the Italian’s eyes, reports MARCA.
Jude Bellingham’s recent absence- missing two La Liga matches and the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 – further solidified Brahim’s place in the pecking order.
The former Manchester City starlet proved it against Girona, Betis, and Atletico Madrid in the first leg, and now he is on the verge of starting again in the return fixture on Wednesday.
Ancelotti left him on the bench against Rayo Vallecano with the clear intention of keeping him fresh for the decisive showdown at the Metropolitano.
Brahim is closer than ever to securing a regular starting role at Real Madrid. The only matches he has missed this season – just eight – were due to a muscular injury.
His 37 appearances, six goals, and seven assists underline his growing importance. More importantly, he has proven he has the talent to hold down a starting place in Real Madrid’s strongest XI.
Logic suggested that with Bellingham’s return, Eduardo Camavinga would slot into midfield alongside Aurelien Tchouameni.
However, the Frenchman’s recent struggles and Ancelotti’s tactical decisions indicate that Brahim could take that role instead – providing structure in midfield while Bellingham offers additional support in build-up play.
Camavinga’s recent injury setbacks have affected his physical sharpness – once his biggest strength – and as a result, his confidence and effectiveness have suffered.
Ancelotti appears to trust a midfield trio of Tchouameni, Bellingham, and Brahim, with Rodrygo, Kylian Mbappe, and Vinicius Junior leading the attack. While the line-up leans heavily toward offence, these are the players the manager currently relies on most.