Days before facing Benfica, Real Madrid legend sparks debate | OneFootball

A few days before the reunion with Benfica, in the ‘play-off’ for a spot in the Champions League round of 16, Dani Carvajal is still far from being a certainty in Real Madrid’s starting eleven. The 34-year-old Spanish right-back has had a season marked by injuries and limited playing time, a scenario that has persisted even after the change in the Merengues’ coaching staff.

After recovering from a cruciate ligament tear suffered in October 2024, Carvajal has taken on a secondary role. Since his return, he has been a substitute in eight of the last ten matches and, in the two games where he was used, he only came on in the final minutes. Last Sunday, in the away win against Valencia (0-2), he didn’t even leave the bench, with Álvaro Arbeloa opting to start the young David Jiménez.

The coach’s management drew attention again after images circulated on social media, showing a conversation between Carvajal and fitness coach Antonio Pintus, with the Mestalla stadium already empty. The moment raised questions about the Madrid captain’s state of mind, as Arbeloa has been choosing alternative solutions, including the use of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has also seen limited playing time this season.

With an inconsistent recent run and no minutes in the last six games, Carvajal may once again miss out on the starting lineup against Benfica. The right-back’s last start dates back to September 27, 2025, in the heavy defeat against Atlético de Madrid, 5-2.

It’s worth remembering that Real Madrid will face Benfica – which has information about the European clash – in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 play-off, on the 17th (Tuesday), with the second leg in the Spanish capital scheduled for the 25th of this month (Wednesday). Both matches are set to kick off at 8:00 p.m.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.