The departure of Toni Kroos has opened a door in Real Madrid’s midfield, and Arda Guler will be hoping that he has the chance to make the place his own over the course of this season. He has had one opportunity so far, having played from the start against Real Valladolid on MD2 – he flattered to deceive on that occasion, which appears to have seen him go down in Carlo Ancelotti’s thoughts.
He was an impact sub against Las Palmas last Thursday, and for the visit of Real Betis on Sunday, he did not feature at all. As per Diario AS, this left the Turkish teenager crestfallen, and he did not join in with any of the post-match celebrations – it was not an act of disrespect, but rather disappointment.
Guler does into the first international break of the season feeling as he did during pre-season: a regular starting place at Real Madrid is still just a dream. However, with rotations expected in the coming weeks due to the intense schedule, there will be opportunities for him to impress Ancelotti.