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الاثنين: 02 فبراير 2026
  • 02 February 2026
  • 09:12
The Return of the Leader Ends Valverdes Defensive Crisis

Khaberni -  Spanish media reports confirmed that the return of the veteran defender Dani Carvajal to Real Madrid's starting lineup will be the magic key for coach Alvaro Arbeloa to restore balance to the team after the recent "Lisbon setback".

End of 127 days of suffering

The newspaper "As" mentioned that Carvajal, who has not started since the "Metropolitano derby" against Atlético Madrid 127 days ago, has had a very tough season; after returning from a serious knee injury, he suffered a setback in his leg muscle, then underwent a minor "arthroscopic" surgery, which turned his return journey into a long "nightmare".

Freeing "the engine" Valverde

The newspaper sees that the biggest beneficiary of Carvajal's return is not only the defense line, but also the Uruguayan star Federico Valverde, as the return of the captain to the right-back position allows "Arbeloa" to free Valverde from his compulsory defensive duties and return him to midfield, thus opening up broader tactical opportunities for the team.

The captain's anger

The reports indicated the strong mental state possessed by Carvajal; he was the first to leave the "Da Luz" stadium in Lisbon with clear signs of anger on his face, which reflects his strong desire to return and lead the team on the field after having only participated for a few minutes in the recent matches against Albacete and Monaco.

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