There was arguably no better right-back in football when Dani Carvajal went down with his horrific knee injury last weekend, but Los Blancos are set to lose much more. Luka Modric is Real Madrid’s captain, but the 32-year-old Spain international is one of their key leaders.
Carvajal is set to be out for the next year, and earlier this week it was reported that manager Carlo Ancelotti has reportedly bemoaned the fact that he will be without him. Not only was it Carvajal who gave the team talk after defeat to Lille last week, but his attitude in training and setting of the standards will be missed.
As per Diario AS, Fede Valverde is the player Real Madrid hope will step into Carvajal’s shoes and set the tone. He will be the captain in effect, with or without the armband, and the 26-year-old will be charged with leading on the pitch in a vocal sense, with Modric exercising a different tone leadership.
Lucas Vazquez is also more senior, but neither he nor Modric are as crucial to Los Blancos currently. Certainly it is easy to see his character, showing the same ‘vinegar’ or sour attitude to losing as Carvajal, and he often makes tackles or runs to rile up his team. While he is well-suited to that role, the loss of Carvajal will be felt.
