Real Madrid 21-year-old starlet could get his first start against Elche | OneFootball

Real Madrid lock horns with Elche on Saturday night in La Liga, aiming to stay in touch with table-toppers FC Barcelona, who have a four-point lead.

However, manager Alvaro Arbeloa also has one eye on next week’s reverse fixture against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.

As a result, the Real Madrid head coach is considering making some rotations to the starting XI this weekend, to keep his regular starters fresh and ready for the trip to Manchester.

Manuel Angel in line to start?

As such, MARCA reports that young prospect Manuel Angel could be in line for a start for Real Madrid against Elche.

The 21-year-old starlet, who has been at La Fabrica since 2018, is the current captain of Castilla, for whom he has made 23 appearances this season, scoring one goal.

More first-team minutes for Manuel Angel. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The youngster also has three first-team appearances under his belt, having made his debut in the Copa del Rey clash against Albacete, before getting minutes against Celta Vigo (La Liga) and Manchester City (Champions League).

A versatile midfielder who can operate in multiple roles, Manuel Angel could be in line to make his full debut at the Santiago Bernabeu against Elche this weekend, with Arbeloa considering resting regulars like Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde.

If so, it will be a very special occasion for the youngster who is rated highly within the club.

Along with him, there is a possibility that the likes of Andriy Lunin, Dani Carvajal, Fran Garcia, and Gonzalo Garcia also start for Real Madrid on Saturday. Eduardo Camavinga and Raul Asencio, who were on the bench in midweek, could also feature.