Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal was very damaging for Real Madrid, but it was especially so for one player in particular whose recent struggles went to a new level in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie.
And that player is Eduardo Camavinga. The 22-year-old midfielder started the season with a knee injury that saw him ruled out for two months, and even since then, he has been playing catch-up. And even when he has been fit, he has delivered numerous poor performances, with the latest being in North London earlier this week.
Carlo Ancelotti has been trying to turn around Camavinga’s fortunes. He was very pleased with the Frenchman’s performance in the Champions League round of 16 second leg against Atletico Madrid when he was introduced as a substitute, but that prominence that was built up came crashing down against Arsenal.
Camavinga gave away the foul that led to Arsenal’s second goal, and in stoppage time, he was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for kicking the ball away. And on the back of this, Diario AS have reported that Real Madrid officials are very worried about him and the level that he has been producing.
Camavinga’s struggles started back in January when he gave away the penalty during Real Madrid’s 5-1 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, and another big error came in the first leg of that tie against Atleti when he was judged to have not done enough to stop Julian Alvarez’s goal at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The report states that Camavinga is playing to define his future at Real Madrid in the final weeks of the season. He is likely to be back behind Aurelien Tchouameni in the pecking order in midfield, although he may be utilised at left-back on occasion after David Alaba’s poor showing in the position against Arsenal.
