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The original was posted on /r/soccer by /u/penisgenitals on 2023-08-29 12:14:08.
Vinicius will be out for the next six weeks or so. The Brazilian says goodbye to being able to compete throughout the month of September (Getafe, Real Sociedad, Champions League, Atlético, Las Palmas and possibly Girona are the commitments).
It won’t be until October when the window for his return will open, pending his progress and the decisions that will be taken. Ancelotti will miss him for a month and a half and will see his plan altered for a good while.
With the absence of Vinicius, the debate opens up as to what will be the new plan of the coach. The same problem he will have when he does not have Rodrygo. The key is whether Ancelotti will swap one striker for another, as happened in Vigo, bringing on Joselu or even considering the option of Brahim, or whether the hierarchy will prevail in his final decision to make room in the eleven for Toni Kroos or Luka Modric.
In order to accommodate Joselu against Celta, Madrid played a 1-4-2-3-1 formation, moving Rodrygo back to the left flank to form a line with Bellingham and Valverde, with the striker remaining as the more advanced man. If Brahim is brought in, the formula could be the same as it has been so far: two strikers and Bellingham at the top of the midfield diamond.
Kroos or Modric
To fit Kroos or Modric in the eleven the main option would be a 1-4-4-2, with Bellingham even further forward forming an attacking partnership with Rodrygo. In this way, the German or the Croatian would fit into a four-man midfield, alongside Tchouaméni, Camavinga and Fede.
The first option allows Ancelotti to keep the number of strikers in the eleven by inserting one striker for another. The second, to give himself a respite from the ‘problem’ of having Kroos and Modric sitting on the bench. In fact, in the latter case, the option of bringing back the old 4-3-3 would also be worthwhile, moving Fede Valverde forward and completing the midfield trident with the German or the Croatian.
Real Madrid have now returned to training after two days off and it will be time for Ancelotti to start planning how to solve Vinicius’ absence. Beyond everything the Brazilian gives and what Madrid lose without him, the coach will have to decide who will be his starting replacement and whether the Brazilian’s absence requires a change of system. What the Italian finally does could be a clue to future plans during the season.