Real Madrid cruised to victory in their first La Liga match under Carlo Ancelotti, defeating Alaves 4-1 on the night. This was also Real Madrid’s first match in over a decade and a half that Sergio Ramos was not part of the squad.
Raphael Varane was also announced as a Manchester United player yesterday, which puts both the first-team centre-backs out of question. As a result, Ancelotti started Eder Militao and Nacho Fernandez in the centre-back position while David Alaba started in left-back to fill in for Ferland Mendy and Marcelo, both of whom are injured.
On paper, and on the field, the void left by Ramos will be difficult to fill. Alaba has taken over the number 4 shirt that Ramos wore. And at this point, it is key to note that the Austrian isn’t a natural centre-back. However, he and Ancelotti have worked before at Bayern, which creates a strong point for the manager to get the best out of the defender. Alaba provided an assist for the last goal, setting up Vinicius Jr in the 92nd minute.
Alaves were outplayed in the second half but only pulled one back due to a penalty.
Nacho Fernandez recently signed a long-term contract extension, and Eder Militao now has the opportunity to establish himself as a first-team centre-back and fill in for Ramos. Alaba could also be deployed as a central defender in the following matches. In addition, we can also expect a back three to be deployed by Ancelotti with Alaba on the left.
