Carlo Ancelotti has asserted that he is not obligated to offer Arda Guler an explanation for his limited playing time at Real Madrid.
Despite the considerable excitement surrounding Guler’s arrival last summer, the 19-year-old, recovering from knee surgery, has only seen 25 minutes of action in La Liga since his return in January.
During the recent victory over Sevilla, it appeared Guler might come off the bench. However, after Luka Modric scored in the 81st minute, Ancelotti opted for Dani Ceballos instead, sending Guler back to the bench. When questioned about this decision, Ancelotti stated he had his reasons and declined to elaborate.
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“I had one thought before Modric’s goal and after the goal, I changed my mind. It’s not that complicated, and I don’t have to explain this,” he said. “And if he doesn’t understand it, it doesn’t matter.”
Ancelotti’s handling of Guler’s playing time has sparked some controversy this season, including visible frustration from the teenager during the Almeria match in January. However, any talk of a rift has been consistently downplayed, with Ancelotti encouraging Guler to be patient, especially after the young player missed the first half of the season due to a knee injury.
“That Arda Guler does not play is a question of competition with others,” Ancelotti emphasized before the Sevilla game. “I choose the 11 that play, and some have a hard time getting in because they have lost a lot of time due to injuries. [Guler] is very young and has to be patient. Obviously, he now has the level to start games.”