Has the wait come to an end? Arda Güler could make his first appearance for Real Madrid on Saturday. Coach Carlo Ancelotti even held out the prospect of him starting
“I want to become a legend at this club.” That’s what Arda Güler said in July, when the 18-year-old presented himself in Madrid in a suit and tie. His mother was in tears with pride.
It was the last time the young Turk would be in the limelight with the royals. Güler has still not played a game for Real. Instead, the youngster, for whom the club had paid Fenerbahce a whopping 20 million euros, was regularly hit by injury
An unfulfilled promise that could finally be kept six months later. “Güler can be in the starting eleven,” said Ancelotti ahead of the third-round Copa del Rey match at fourth-division side CF Arandina. The attacking player was already in the squad for the 1-0 win against Mallorca. “He’s fine, he’s very calm and happy to be back,” said the Italian afterwards, asking for “calm and serenity with him, because he’s 18 years old and will be a very important player now and in the future. A little patience is needed for everyone. Little by little he will get his minutes because the quality is there”.
In fact, nobody doubts it, and colleagues such as Toni Kroos are full of praise for left-footed Güler after seeing him in training. After all, the Turkish senior international (four games, one goal) can be deployed as a right winger – a position in which no one at Real has yet imposed themselves this season.
Lucas Vazquez is also out for longer
The fact that Real are plagued by major injury problems increases the talent’s chances of a starting role. The injured Ferland Mendy, Toni Kroos, Aurelien Tchouameni and Vinicius will not be involved, as will Lucas Vazquez, who is in danger of missing three weeks due to a thigh injury. Long-term injuries to Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba and Eder Militao (all cruciate ligament ruptures) will not be available anyway.
However, at least Kroos will be back for the Supercopa semi-final against Atletico Madrid in Saudi Arabia. “He only had slight ankle problems after the Mallorca game,” said Ancelotti.
